After 30 minutes of game time, the 49ers have a 10-7 lead over the Rams in the NFC Championship Game.
Robbie Gould sent a 38-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired in the second quarter to give San Francisco a three-point advantage at the break.
The Rams had a few chances to score more points in the first half but didn’t cash in — including late in the second quarter. Quarterback Matthew Stafford hit an open Cooper Kupp over the middle and Kupp had plenty of room to run. But Kupp dropped the pass for an incompletion.
Receiver Ben Skowronek — likely in for an injured Van Jefferson — also had an opportunity to catch a deep touchdown on that drive, but had the pass go off his hands in the end zone.
Then kicker Matt Gay missed a 54-yard field goal wide right to give San Francisco the ball at its own 44-yard line with 1:50 left and three timeouts.
Receiver Deebo Samuel briefly exited the game on that possession after Jimmy Garoppolo threw a poor pass over the middle to him and safety Nick Scott legally hit him hard. But Samuel was able to pop up, run off the field, and re-enter the game a couple of plays later.
Samuel had a 44-yard touchdown on a screen pass earlier in the second quarter. He’s also taken three carries for 5 yards.
Garoppolo is 8-of-12 for 137 yards with that TD. But he could’ve hit tight end George Kittle for a deep pass on San Francisco’s first series if he’d thrown a more accurate pass.
On the other side, the 49ers kept the Rams off the board midway through the first quarter by picking off Stafford on third-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Stafford was looking for Kupp over the middle, but the pass was tipped by cornerback K’Wuan Williams and picked off by safety Jimmie Ward.
Stafford is 14-of-24 for 130 yards with a touchdown and that interception. Stafford and Kupp opened the scoring with a 16-yard score with 8:46 left in the second quarter. Kupp has five catches for 64 yards.
On the injury front, Rams receiver Van Jefferson is questionable to return with a knee injury. He was also questionable with a knee injury entering the weekend after missing Wednesday’s practice. Jefferson was a limited participant on Thursday and Friday.
The 49ers announced defensive end Arden Key is being evaluated for a concussion.
