A STOP-AND-WOE DRIVE

Williams fumbles at goal line late in regulation, then is stuffed by 49ers on final play in overtime

- BY GARY KLEIN

COACH Sean McVay blamed himself for the Rams' final lackluster play call.

The Rams played the blame game Thursday night.

They pointed plenty of fingers — but only at themselves individually.

Running back Kyren Williams blamed himself for fumbling at the one-yard line on what might have been a winning touchdown run against the San Francisco 49ers.

Coach Sean McVay blamed himself for his call on a failed fourth-and-one running play that ended the game.

And there was plenty more blame to go around:

See the Rams' kicking game, and a defense that put the Rams in an early hole by giving up two touchdowns and made journeyman Mac Jones look like Joe Montana.

But really, blame San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. McVay's former mentor and his plucky injury-riddled team sent the Rams to a 26-23 overtime defeat before a crowd of 73,652 at SoFi Stadium.

"I'm pretty sick right now," McVay said.

With good reason.

The Rams fell to 3-2, blowing an opportunity to take over first place in the NFC West before a mini-bye and then heading off to Baltimore and London.

The 49ers improved to 4-1 and are 3-0 against the NFC West after victories over the Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.

So that hurts the Rams more than their loss to the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, a game that ended when the Eagles blocked a winning field-goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown.