SANTA CLARA — The Los Angeles Rams scored six touchdowns four days earlier in a shootout victory over the Buffalo Bills.
On Thursday, the 49ers kept the Rams’ high-powered offense out of the end zone.
It was still not enough for the 49ers because the offense's streak of 102 consecutive games with at least one touchdown was snapped.
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And quarterback Brock Purdy put the responsibility on his own shoulders.
“I just feel like I had a lot of plays left out there that I could have made for our team,” Purdy said in the aftermath of the 49ers’ 12-6 loss, which essentially eliminates them from playoff contention.
“I thought the defense and special teams played so good. And that's what's hurting me is I just feel like I failed the team. I could have been better for our offense and we could have put up more points.”
Purdy completed just 14 of 31 pass attempts for 142 yards with no touchdowns and one costly fourth-quarter interception.
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Three of Purdy’s four lowest passing yard totals have come within his last four starts, as the 49ers lost for the fourth time in five weeks and dropped to 6-8 on the season.
“I had to be better for this team and didn't play my best tonight,” Purdy said.
Purdy targeted Deebo Samuel with seven pass attempts. Samuel had three catches for just 16 yards. A possible touchdown got away from Samuel when he dropped Purdy’s perfectly thrown pass on a post pattern from the Los Angeles 29-yard line in the third quarter.
“I feel like if I make that play, we win the game,” Samuel said.
Said Purdy, “Obviously we wish we would've connected on a couple more, and wish I would've been a little bit more accurate on some of those throws.”
Purdy’s biggest mistake came on a second-and-10 situation while the 49ers trailed 9-6 with 5:20 remaining in regulation.
Purdy took a chance with a deep shot for Jauan Jennings. The pass was overthrown, and Rams cornerback Darious Williams secured the interception in the end zone.
Coach Kyle Shanahan did not necessarily disagree with Purdy’s decision based on what he saw at the time he let the ball fly down the field.
“Jauan ran a stutter-go and the guy (Williams) buckled his feet a little bit, and so Brock threw it up and tried to give Jauan a chance,” Shanahan said. “And as Jauan was exiting, he ran into him a little bit, which slowed Jauan down, and then there was only the corner there. So it was an unfortunate play.”
Purdy explained why he attempted the throw. But he also understood why he should not have taken the chance on a second-down play when the 49ers were on the edge of field-goal position.
“I thought we had the right look with the corner off and thought we were going to get him and just in that moment trying to be aggressive and give J.J. a shot and when I let the ball go,” Purdy said.
Purdy said it is a situation from which he can learn to “just be smart” and check the ball down to an underneath option.
The 49ers will miss out on the postseason for the first time since the 2020 season. Purdy holds himself accountable. He pledged to finish the season “the right way.”
“That's what comes with playing quarterback and being in this position,” Purdy said. “You're trusted with the ball in your hands and to make the right decisions in the right moment. That's something that we're going to have to learn from, for sure, moving forward.”