49ers overpower Rams 38–21: Purdy tosses four TDs, McCaffrey dominates under primetime lights

INGLEWOOD, CA - Under the Thursday Night Primetime lights, the San Francisco 49ers opened Week 5 with a statement win, rolling past the rival Los Angeles Rams, 38-21. It was a vintage aerial showcase from Brock Purdy and a three-score night from Christian McCaffrey, as San Francisco seized a critical early NFC West road win.

Purdy was ruthlessly efficient, finishing 16-of-24 for 215 yards with four touchdowns and one interception, and he added a 2-yard rushing score to cap the night. McCaffrey did the rest as a receiver, turning six catches into 85 yards and three touchdowns, repeatedly exploiting mismatches in the Rams' underneath zones. San Francisco struck early with a 16-yard hookup to Luke Farrell and never looked back; Farrell's only catch went for that opening-drive score.

The Rams kept counterpunching. Matthew Stafford went 21-for-31 for 222 yards with two touchdowns but also threw three interceptions that short-circuited promising drives. Explosive back Kyren Williams sparked a late push with a 45-yard touchdown run, finishing with 61 yards on 10 carries, while Tyler Higbee added a short TD grab.

San Francisco's balance and situational execution told the story. The 49ers converted 8 of 13 on third down (61.5%) and cashed in on five of six red-zone trips (four TDs, one FG). Their defense produced two sacks and three picks to tilt the turnover battle. The Rams answered with 50% on third down but finished 2 of 4 in the red zone and couldn't keep pace.

How we got here

San Francisco raced to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, punctuated by Farrell's TD and McCaffrey's 31-yard catch-and-run. After a Rams response from Tutu Atwell before halftime, McCaffrey's third score midway through the third and Purdy's keeper in the fourth put it out of reach. Jake Moody's 32-yard field goal iced it late.

Why this one matters

It's an early-season swing inside the NFC West and the first meeting of a two-game set; the rematch comes in Week 10 in Santa Clara. Banking a divisional road win gives the 49ers a valuable tiebreaker as the race tightens through the middle third of the schedule

Last week

San Francisco entered Thursday on the upswing after detonating for a 51-20 home win over Jacksonville in Week 4-an offensive breakout that carried into L.A. tonight. Los Angeles came in looking to stop a skid after a 35-28 home loss to Indianapolis in Week 4; paired with a Week 3 defeat in Philadelphia, Thursday's setback extends the Rams' slide.

By the Numbers

San Francisco's efficiency on both sides of the ball stood out. The 49ers totaled 327 yards of offense, with 215 coming through the air and 112 on the ground. Brock Purdy completed 16 of 24 passes, finishing with 215 yards and four touchdown throws, and he added a short rushing score in the fourth quarter. Christian McCaffrey was the offensive centerpiece, rushing 13 times for 27 yards while dominating as a receiver with six catches, 85 yards, and three touchdowns. San Francisco's offense was disciplined, committing no penalties all night, and converted 8 of 13 third downs. The 49ers were clinical in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on four of their five trips, while kicker Jake Moody stayed perfect, converting all five extra points and drilling a 32-yard field goal.

The defense made its mark as well, forcing three interceptions and recording two sacks to tilt the momentum firmly in San Francisco's favor. The takeaways repeatedly set up short fields that the offense turned into points, helping the 49ers build and maintain their lead under the primetime spotlight.

For Los Angeles, the offense managed 280 yards and leaned on big plays to stay competitive. Matthew Stafford threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, but his three interceptions stalled promising drives. Kyren Williams delivered the Rams' biggest highlight, breaking loose for a 45-yard touchdown run en route to 61 rushing yards on 10 carries. Davante Adams caught five passes for 52 yards, while Tyler Higbee added a red-zone touchdown. Defensively, Los Angeles managed to generate some pressure with a pair of sacks, but the secondary struggled to contain McCaffrey and gave up four touchdown passes to Purdy, a gap the Rams never overcame despite converting half of their third-down attempts and scoring on two of four red-zone trips.

Up Next

The 49ers travel east for another road test, visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. The Rams also hit the road in Week 6, heading to Baltimore to face the Ravens.