Rams-49ers takeaways: Bad decision, bad rushing, bad penalties mark the loss

The Rams dropped to 3-4 after losing to the San Francisco 49ers 31-14 on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

Here’s what we learned from the Rams’ defeat:

Play should not have been called for Kupp

The Rams trailed by 17 points with less than 90 seconds left when Sean McVay called for a third-down pass that resulted in an ankle injury suffered by Cooper Kupp, the reigning NFL offensive player of the year.

“I’m kicking myself for not running the football again,” McVay said. “But I’m hopeful that he’s OK.”

Kupp’s six-yard reception was the last of his eight catches. He finished with 79 yards receiving and a touchdown.

“I know he feels bad about that,” Kupp said when told that McVay second-guessed the late play call. “But … you’re playing a football game. You’re calling plays. It’s third down, let’s get a first down.

“So I’m obviously not holding anything against him in that regard. It’s a violent random game and you play as hard as you possibly can until the fourth quarter hits zero.”

No one questions Kupp’s competitiveness. That was a foolish call by his coach.

Rams have no rushing attack

Wait, we already knew this.

But the absence against the 49ers was even more stark.

With Cam Akers banished from the stadium as the Rams attempt to trade him, McVay started practice squad call-up Ronnie Rivers. Darrell Henderson carried the ball only four times.

McVay all but abandoned jet sweeps for Kupp and receivers Brandon Powell and Ben Skowronek.

The Rams rushed for 56 yards.

Whatever happened to McVay and his staff’s oft-repeated philosophy to make opponents defend “every blade of grass?”

McCaffrey worth every draft pick it cost 49ers

The 49ers outbid the Rams for Christian McCaffrey in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

Maybe — no, make that absolutely — the Rams should have upped the ante to ensure they landed one of the NFL’s most versatile players.

How versatile?

McCaffrey rushed for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass and passed for a touchdown.

Players lost their cool and it cost the Rams

Linebacker Ernest Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness after a catch by McCaffrey on the final play of the third quarter. A seven-yard pass play became a 22-yard gain that sparked the 49ers during a drive that ended with a touchdown for a 24-14 lead.

During the ensuing series, Rams receiver Allen Robinson caught a six-yard pass for a first down but was flagged for taunting, resulting in a nine-yard loss. The series ended with a punt, and the 49ers drove for their final touchdown.

Receiver Jefferson was a decoy

After recovering from knee surgery performed during training camp, Van Jefferson played for the first time this season.

He was in the starting lineup and played 31 of 58 snaps.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford targeted Jefferson exactly zero times.

“I’m just happy to be back,” Jefferson said.

Floyd can still sack quarterbacks

Leonard Floyd went six games without a sack, an embarrassing performance by an edge rusher who averaged 10 sacks in each of the last two seasons.

Last week, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said he expected Floyd to get opportunities and take advantage of them sooner rather than later.

On Sunday, Floyd sacked 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo twice during one first-half series.

Floyd said it felt good to finally hit a quarterback.

“I wish we would have won though,” he said. “It would have felt better.”