Watching Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers is like playing “The Oregon Trail” — as the game progresses, you know it’s only a matter of time before the wheels fall off the wagon. After squandering a double-digit fourth quarter lead against the Rams on Sunday night, San Francisco got the ball with just under two minutes left, trailing by three points. That’s when Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo picked up one of those wagon wheels and heaved it into the river. His interception on 3rd-and-13 sealed the 20-17 win for Los Angeles and ended San Francisco’s season, but it was the pass he threw on second down that delivered a devastating bad beat for bettors who had the over on his passing yards prop.
This loss was a QB stat
Garoppolo’s passing yardage prop opened at 234.5 passing yards on BetMGM, eventually getting bet down to 233.5. With nearly 13 minutes remaining in the game and the Niners clinging to a 17-14 lead, the former Patriots backup hit Deebo Samuel for a 12-yard gain on 2nd-and-10 to pick up a first down near midfield and give him 235 passing yards on the night. San Francisco ran the ball on the next three plays, setting up a 4th-and-2 in Los Angeles territory. Shanahan pretended like he was going to follow the analytics and go for it, but instead ended up making yet another appearance on the Surrender Index by punting the ball away.
A few minutes later, the Rams tied the game with a field goal, then made the Niners punt again after a trio of incompletions by Garoppolo. Los Angeles claimed the lead on the ensuing drive thanks to a second Matt Gay field goal.
Still sitting on 235 passing yards, Garoppolo and the Niners took the field with a minute and 46 seconds left, needing a field goal to tie or a touchdown to edge back in front. His toss to running back JaMycal Hasty was batted into the air for an incompletion on first down. On 2nd-and-10, Garoppolo completed a pass to receiver Jauan Jennings. Rams linebacker Travin Howard dropped Jennings for a three-yard loss, which dropped Garoppolo to 232 passing yards. Everyone who took the over on his passing yardage prop — which had been a winner for nearly an entire quarter — watched as the Niners QB threw a pick on the next play, sending Los Angeles to the Super Bowl and over 233.5 passing yards tickets into the trash can.
