49ers vs. St. Louis Rams

Marc Bulger threw a touchdown pass and the St. Louis Rams beat the 49ers 24-14 at Candlestick Park. Marshall Faulk ran for 121 yards. Tim Rattay threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Eric Johnson caught 10 for 113. Kevan Barlow ran for 42. The 49ers fell to 0-4 in the division home loss.[1][2][3]

Marshall Faulk ran for 121 yards Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The St. Louis Rams beat the 49ers 24-14 in the kind of division home loss where Tim Rattay's return-from-injury start produced two touchdown passes and 299 yards, the kind of game the year's offensive identity has been promising. The Rams' running game was too much.

Rattay was 31-of-47 for 299 with two touchdowns and an interception. Eric Johnson caught 10 passes for 113. Curtis Conway caught five for 51. Kevan Barlow ran for 42. The 49ers' offense produced 14 points. Faulk's 121 rushing yards anchored the Rams' attack.

0-4. The kind of division home loss where the offense produced credible football but the defense surrendered the kind of game the year's identity tape cannot sustain. The Arizona Cardinals at home next Sunday in another NFC West matchup. The kind of October where the year's competitive identity is officially below the conference's middle tier.

Rams 24, 49ers 14. Margin: -10. Four-game record: 0-4, -49 differential.

* Marc Bulger: 17-of-25 for 186, 1 TD, 0 INTs.
* Marshall Faulk: 23 carries for 121.
* Torry Holt: receiving production with TD.
* Tim Rattay: 31-of-47 for 299, 2 TDs, 1 INT (return from injury).
* Kevan Barlow: 15 carries for 42.
* Eric Johnson: 10 catches for 113.
* 49ers 0-4; Rams 3-1.

A 24-14 division home loss to the St. Louis Rams at Candlestick. Tim Rattay returns from injury. The 49ers fall to 0-4.

How it unfolded

The Rams scored on their opening drive with a Bulger touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Tim Rattay touchdown to make it 7-7. The Rams added a Marshall Faulk-led drive to push the lead to 14-7. The 49ers added a Joe Nedney field goal to make it 14-10. The Rams added another touchdown to make it 21-10 at halftime. The third quarter was scoreless. The fourth quarter was a Rams field goal to make it 24-10, then a 49ers touchdown to close it 24-14.

The turning point

Marshall Faulk's first-half rushing dominance. With the 49ers' defense surrendering 121 to a back who had been the league's best rushing-receiving threat for the previous decade, the kind of grind-it-out road performance gave St. Louis the lead they used to manage the rest of the game.

By the numbers

Rattay 299 passing on 47 attempts with two TDs and an INT. Kevan Barlow 42 rushing on 15 carries. Eric Johnson 113 receiving on 10 catches. Curtis Conway 51 receiving on 5 catches. Bulger 186 on 25 attempts with a TD. Marshall Faulk 121 rushing.

Personnel watch

Tim Rattay's return-from-injury 299-yard passing game. Eric Johnson's career-best 10-catch performance. Kevan Barlow's modest rushing day. The kind of division home loss where the offense produced credible football but the defense surrendered the running game.

What it means

0-4 with the Cardinals at home next Sunday. The kind of division home loss where, even with Rattay's return start producing 299 yards, the year's identity tape continued sliding. The Eric Johnson 10-catch game is the lone offensive bright spot.