Defense reason why Rams beat 49ers to begin Week 15

Darious Williams (YouTube)

The Los Angeles Rams have now won three straight games. They have found a way to win games differently in this stretch. Just a week ago, they beat the Buffalo Bills 44-42 in an 86 point high-scoring offensive contest. Then on Thursday night, they defeated the San Francisco 49ers 12-6 in northern California to improve to eight wins and six losses.

The fact that the Rams came through with a W is noteworthy when they scored 32 points fewer on Thursday than they did a week ago. Even though Rams quarterback Matt Stafford was unable to throw a touchdown pass, the bottom line is the Rams defense was admirable, and did not need the Rams offense to put together amazing numbers.

The Rams defensive hero was cornerback Darious Williams of Jacksonville, Florida. Williams had a significant interception in the end zone with five minutes and 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter. At the time, the Rams were leading the 49ers 9-6, and San Francisco had the football on Los Angeles’s 33 yard line.

When the Rams got the football back, they put together a timely drive. Los Angeles had 13 plays which was capped off by a 29 yard field goal by rookie kicker Joshua Karty of Burlington, North Carolina, who made four field goals in the win.

Even though Williams got the big play for the Rams, the entire Rams secondary was spectacular. Brock Purdy had more incompletions (17) than completions (14) for the first time in a game this season. He was also sacked three times. Two of those sacks were recorded by defensive end Kobie Turner of Washington D.C.