The San Francisco 49ers completed their first season sweep of the Los Angeles Rams since 2016. Jimmy Garoppolo orchestrated an impressive two-minute drive that set up a Robbie Gould game-winning field goal. See what both locker rooms had to say after the 49ers 34-31 victory.
Niners Liners
Kyle Shanahan on the tragedy that struck the Beathard family:
"Before we start, I just want to say how much we appreciate the Beathard family. What happened last night was very tough on C.J. Beathard and his family. It was a tragedy. Such a great family. We've been with C.J. here for three years. He's as good as any person I've been around. Their family is unbelievable. I never got a chance to meet Clay, but knowing how his parents are, knowing how C.J. is, knowing the stuff they've told me about him, he was an unbelievably special person. Just our hearts and prayers are out with them. His dad reached out to us on text just about how great everyone has been on social media and just the respect everyone has given their family and stuff, he can't appreciate it enough. I think everyone understands how horrible a thing that happened to their family last night. Our prayers are with them."
Shanahan on what Jimmy Garoppolo showed on the team's final drive:
"He was resilient. It was third-and-16, not the best situation to be in. Usually you're not feeling great in those situations. Those guys gave him enough time in protection. I think he made the first one to Kendrick Bourne over the middle and had a similar play like that over the middle, but the safeties got real wide and got the opportunity to Emmanuel Sanders down the field. So, the guys just to give him the time and for him to hang in there. The game just for everyone, wasn't perfect. Offense, defense, or special teams, play calling, the quarterback, protections. Everything was up and down throughout the whole thing. There were a lot of times I think that each individual on our team could feel like they had messed some stuff up. But, each individual kept coming back and to find a way to end that game there at the end was pretty special."
Shanahan on the importance of this win over the Rams:
"It was very important. To me, just as important as last week. You try not to look ahead. I thought we had to win this game no matter what. I think possibly, based on how tomorrow goes, we'd still be playing for the West next week versus Seattle. So, if that would have happened we would have dealt with that. Now, winning this, you don't have to worry about anything. Now we've got one game here left in our season before the playoffs. Got eight days to get ready for it and we're pumped about that."
QB Jimmy Garoppolo on the team's two 3rd-and-16 conversions on the final drive:
"Yeah, so the one to (wide receiver Kendrick Bourne) KB, just felt the linebackers, they got a ton of depth and everything. We had a couple different options on it, saw a little window in there and didn't know if I was going to have any other windows. So, I just let it rip and KB made a great, came back to the ball, perfect timing and everything. He just made a great play on it. Then the one to (wide receiver) Emmanuel (Sanders), safeties were high and wide. They got a little too wide and I knew we had a post on, so just wanted to give him an opportunity. My arm got hit as I threw it, so I got a little nervous, but he just made a great play. It was awesome."
Garoppolo on his touchdown to George Kittle:
"That was kind of the red zone plan from the get go, just take George away. He just kept working, broke the pocket and those plays, it's just kind of a happening. You never know what's going to happen, but George just, he had a feel for the space, came downhill and got a touchdown."
DL Arik Armstead on the 49ers winning another close game:
"Win any way possible. It's another game, another close game. They all seem close. We were able to pull out a win in kind of a crazy way. So, just find ways to win and keep advancing and move onto the next game."
Armstead on if this win gives the team momentum heading into Week 17:
"It was definitely a game we needed to win. This Seattle game we need to win as well, and I know we're going to be up for it. Looking forward to it. It's going to be a huge game, division game just like this one, and I know we can't wait."
DL DeForest Buckner on the offense converting two 3rd-and-16's on the final drive:
"Honestly, lately the offense has been playing lights out. To make big plays like that, it all goes to the entire offense. (Quarterback) Jimmy (Garoppolo), that play before he hit (wide receiver) Emmanuel (Sanders), he took a big sack and he ended up making a big play. That goes to the O-line. The O-line was fighting their tails off. Everyone. Being on the sideline and seeing them take the field, it's great to see as a defensive player."
K Robbie Gould on what went through his mind prior to the game-winning field goal:
"Just to make it, trust your keys, trust your rhythm that you had developed throughout the game. Kyle Nelson and Mitch Wishnowsky have done a really good job the last couple of weeks of finding our stride and our operation has been really good. The guys up front are doing a great job blocking. We just have to keep grooving and getting in that rhythm and we have a couple of more games left to play."
TE George Kittle on if he thought the 49ers delivered on Saturday night:
"Yeah, I think the offense definitely. We started off a little slow. We got it rolling, though. I want to thank our fans for that. They definitely had our backs the entire game and they were rolling, even when we weren't producing. We finally got a couple plays to click and the stadium just lit up. That got us going too. Just a big thank you to them. On our team, we rebounded. (49ers head) coach (Kyle) Shanahan had a great message all week. This is playoff ball now. Every game gets us toward our goal. Fortunately, we got that done tonight."
Kittle on Garoppolo's performance on the final drive:
"Yeah, he's pretty damn good. He delivered that multiple times. He's just an incredible quarterback. No matter what happens throughout the game, whether he has a poor decision or something like that, he always bounces back and he always delivers. That's why we love Jimmy. That's the reason we are who we are. He keeps delivering and nothing that he does is B.S. He's a genuine guy and he just delivers 24/7."
WR Deebo Samuel on what this win does for the 49ers heading to Seattle:
"We have to keep the same mindset of everyone staying positive and we know what we have to do next week in order to get things done."
Samuel on his touchdown run:
"It was just a sweep to the left. I got around the edge and beat the guy. All I saw was the end zone."
WR Emmanuel Sanders on his clutch 46-yard catch to set up the game-winning field goal:
"(49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan gave me a chance truthfully. It was a great call. I would say that I did something but I just felt like I just had to run and the ball was there. I just tried to secure the catch and get in field goal range and (49ers kicker Robbie) Gould was able to hit it."
CB Richard Sherman on how the defense adjusted to the Rams offensive game plan in the second half:
"Well they didn't want him (Rams quarterback Jared Goff) to get hit, so they didn't go straight drop back. They were going naked edges because our D-ends were playing and pushing them deep. (Defensive coordinator Robert) Saleh made a great adjustment to let the D-ends go up field and put some pressure in his face. He started to throw some errant passes. We were unable to take advantage on a couple of them. We got hit in the face with the ball and we got to make the play. We made enough stops to win."
LB Fred Warner on his first-career pick-six:
"Yeah, honestly, I just did my job. We were in man coverage and the back kind of, he checked in the protection and then ran a flat route. I hugged up on him and I think (Los Angeles Rams quarterback) Jared (Goff) probably would want to have that one back, but he just tossed it up and I took it. I took it home."
Rams Quotes
Los Angles Rams head coach Sean McVay on the deep pass to Emmanuel Sanders that set up the game-winning field goal:
"Yeah, we were in a certain call that entails some communication. We use some different tools and it was a situation that we've got to be better in right there. They made the play. Good job by (49ers quarterback Jimmy) Garoppolo making the throw and Emmanuel making the catch, and that got them into field goal range, and they ended up winning it by that one."
McVay on how this matchup was different than the previous Week 6 game:
"I think each week is a different week and as the game unfolded guys made enough plays, and kept it interesting. I think it was two good teams going at it and unfortunately, we came up on the short end tonight."
QB Jared Goff on being eliminated from the playoffs:
"It's extremely disappointing. You never envision something like this when you start the year. It's not even close to the standard that we want to hold. It's sickening. It's something that you never want to go through. It's something that myself personally and our team will be driven to not feel this again. It's not a good feeling. We have what we need. We just need to put it together. For some reason this year, we weren't able to do it all of the time."
Goff on the offense's commitment to the play-action in the first half:
"(Los Angeles Rams head coach) Sean McVay just kept calling it. It was part of our plan to run a little bit and then get me on the outside. It was a great plan. It worked. I thought we did a great job executing it."
DT Aaron Donald on the 49ers final drive:
"I felt like we were putting pressure. We were there but he (49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo) was making some good throws. We were about to get him, if we had a second longer. He made two good passes to help his team to win."
RB Todd Gurley II on the loss to the 49ers:
"It's very disappointing. Obviously not accomplishing the bigger picture and the goal we had in mind of making the playoffs, but that's life."
