Sports
Rams take big step toward playoffs by winning field-goal battle and sweeping 49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It’s happening.
Again.
The Rams rebounded from a dismal first half of the season and they are making a run for the playoffs.
Again.
Despite a nebulous performance on offense against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay’s team is now the one nobody in the NFL wants to play.
Again.
On Thursday night, the Rams defeated the 49ers 12-6 at Levi’s Stadium.
Joshua Karty kicked four field goals, Kyren Williams rushed for 108 yards, and cornerback Darious Williams intercepted a fourth-quarter pass as the Rams improved to 8-6.
The Rams’ Kyren Williams (23) finds running room against the 49ers.
(Jed Jacobsohn / Associated Press)
While it might have been painful to watch, it left the Rams feeling great.
“No style points,” McVay said, “We’ll take it. Proud of this group.”
With good reason. The Rams have won three games in a row for the first time in a season that began with a 1-4 start. They also swept the defending NFC champion 49ers for the first time since 2018, when McVay led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII in his second season.
“Being able to do that, knowing how good of a team they are and knowing the history with the two organizations, it’s huge,” Kyren Williams said, “and it shows that we’re the big brothers now.”
In September, the Rams needed a patented Matthew Stafford fourth-quarter comeback and a last-second field goal by Karty to beat the 49ers 27-24 at SoFi Stadium.
Rams safety Kamren Kinchens knocks away a pass intended for 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel.
(Jed Jacobsohn / Associated Press)
Stafford mostly struggled Thursday — he completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards — but Karty was perfect, making a kick from 48 yards in the second quarter and kicks from 23, 27 and 29 yards in the fourth.
“It’s funny because there may or may not be evidence of me saying they were my favorite team like a year ago,” Karty, who played at Stanford, said of the 49ers. “But not anymore. So it’s great to beat them and it’s huge for the team.”
The Rams were coming off Sunday’s 44-42 victory over the powerful Buffalo Bills, a win that showcased a seemingly consistent offense along with a defense that struggled in matchups against powerful offenses such as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Bills.
It rained for much of the game Thursday, and the Rams did not score a touchdown. Still, they won for the seventh time in their last nine games.
“Our team showed we can win football games kind of any way you want in about a four-day span,” Stafford said.
The Rams remain in second place in the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks (8-5) are in first place, the Arizona Cardinals (6-7) in third, and the defending NFC-champion 49ers (6-8) are probably out of the playoff hunt.
With the victory, the Rams have a mini-bye of sorts this weekend before traveling to play the New York Jets the following Sunday. The Rams will finish with home games against the Cardinals and the Seahawks.
“You can just feel the momentum,” said tight end Colby Parkinson, who had a key third-down reception during the Rams’ final drive. “You can feel the team coming together each and every week a little bit more and we’re peaking at the right time.
“It’s exactly what we want.”
The Rams are getting almost all they need from an offensive line that cleared the way for Williams, who matched the career high he established against the Bills by carrying the ball 29 times. For the second game in a row, Stafford was not sacked.
Receiver Puka Nacua caught seven passes for 97 yards, including a 51-yard reception that set up Karty’s third field goal.
Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner records one of his two sacks of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13).
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
A defense led by lineman Kobie Turner also got a good performance from cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who started in place of injured Cobie Durant.
So Stafford was not sweating the lack of production in a game that qualified as a must-win.
“You score 44 four nights ago or whatever it was and come out here and score 12,” Stafford said. “They both count for one.”
For the first time in five games Stafford did not throw a touchdown pass, but the 16th-year pro extended his streak of games without an interception to a career-best five.
Stafford’s 11-yard scramble was the Rams’ longest of the game. He also sneaked for first downs and in the fourth quarter kept the ball on a read-option play from the four-yard line.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is tackled by 49ers linebacker Fred Warner in the second half.
(Jed Jacobsohn / Associated Press)
“At any point we get down that close, man, I’m doing anything we can to try and score,” said Stafford, who was stopped short on a play nullified by a holding penalty. “And if that means surprising everybody in the stadium that I’m still holding on to it, trying to get in, I’m all for it.”
The score was tied 3-3 at halftime as both offenses struggled to execute in rain that soaked the gray hoodies worn by McVay and his assistants.
The skies cleared after halftime, but the Rams’ offense remained in a fog.
The 49ers led 6-3 in the third quarter before Stafford directed a 17-play drive that consumed nearly 10 minutes. The Rams got to the four-yard line, but penalties killed the threat and forced them to settle for a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
After forcing the 49ers to punt, the Rams finally cut loose.
Sort of.
Stafford connected with Nacua for the 51-yard play, but the drive stalled and the Rams settled for Karty’s third field goal.
Rams cornerback Darious Williams (24) intercepts a pass intended for 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings (15) in the fourth quarter.
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
The 49ers then drove to the Rams’ 34-yard line, but Williams’ interception in the end zone quelled the threat.
The Rams got the ball with a little more than five minutes left and used nearly all of it during a drive that ended with Karty’s final field goal with 18 seconds left.
Not the most impressive showcase, but McVay was not complaining.
“It serves us well that there’s different ways we can win a football game,” he said. “Now we’d like to be able put it all together, but to be able to do that, that’s a real strength.”
Sports
It’s Game 7, and we have a bet locked in as the Cavaliers and legacies are on the line against the Pistons
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The NBA takes a lot of flak for having meaningless games, and I can definitely understand it, watching on a random Wednesday in January. However, the playoffs have delivered over and over to viewers and rewarded us for putting up with garbage regular-season games.
This will be the fourth Game 7 of the playoffs. Three series have been sweeps, and the other three have been six games. That shows competitive hoops. Now, how do we bet this Game 7 in the Eastern Conference?
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew it. After not winning a road game all postseason, they took Game 5 in surprising fashion. It looked like they were going to win in six games. After all, they hadn’t lost a game at home in the postseason.
Instead, Detroit came out and blitzed the Cavs, never giving them a chance to get their footing. They lost in an ugly fashion and now have to figure out a way to win a game on the road.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half of Game 5 in the second-round NBA playoffs in Detroit on May 13, 2026. (Duane Burleson/AP)
It isn’t just the Cavs’ fate that rests in this game. It is also the legacy of James Harden and, to a lesser extent, Donovan Mitchell.
We know that Mitchell is a very good player, but he isn’t regarded as one of the best players ever. Harden is. Unfortunately, Harden has struggled in Game 7s. He’s averaged 19.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds. That’s not terrible, but looking at his shooting percentages, he is at 35.3% and 22.2% in those games. He actually is 4-4 overall in the games, but in his past three, he has scored a combined 34 points over 113 minutes.
The Detroit Pistons seem to like playing with their backs against the wall. They are a gritty team, so I suppose it makes sense.
Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren reacts after allowing a pass to go out of bounds in the second half of Game 4 of the second-round NBA playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on May 11, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
Cade Cunningham continues to deliver for the team, and he finally got some help in Game 6 from Jalen Duren. This was never going to be an easy series for Duren, but it feels like he is taking more time to mature than others. He definitely improved this year, but the consistency they need from him just isn’t there yet.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Now as the team goes home they will need Duren to be a beast on the glass. If he can keep the Pistons in the rebounding battle, they should win this game with ease. They won Game 6 by just three rebounds, but that takes away a big dimension of what Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley do for the Cavs. It isn’t everything, though, as the Pistons won the rebounding battle in both losses in Cleveland.
I don’t see this being a runaway game for the Pistons. Mitchell and Cunningham likely will cancel each other out with scoring. Harden needs to establish himself as the third-best player on the floor. I haven’t seen him do that in the postseason, yet.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden talk during Game 2 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs vs. the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Ohio. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)
This is the second Game 7 of the playoffs for both of the clubs, so it isn’t like either will be caught off guard about what this entails.
If I look at it objectively, I think the Cavs have the better players. However, the Pistons have looked significantly better this season, and definitely in the playoffs overall. Both are prone to issues and slipping. The Cavs shouldn’t be as they are a veteran team.
This game has to be won by Cleveland, though. There is too much riding on the franchise and legacies of guys for them to not prepare properly for it. Maybe that’s weak analysis, but I’m taking the Cavs with the points and I do think they win outright. I expect a monster game from Mitchell, and Harden should get 10+ assists.
Either way, whoever wins will lose to the New York Knicks.
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION 1
Murrieta Mesa 10, Valley View 0
Orange Lutheran 10, Millikan 0
Chino Hills 2, El Modena 1
Etiwanda 14, Agoura 13
Palos Verdes 3, Riverside King 2
Cypress 4, Fullerton 2
Ayala 11, Charter Oak 1
Riverside Poly 7, California 3
Norco 2, Marina 1
DIVISION 3
Rancho Cucamonga 9, Paloma Valley 1
Great Oak 5, West Torrance 2
Edison 8, El Segundo 5
El Toro 9, Colton 0
Murrieta Valley 9, Redondo Union 8
North Torrance 5, Beaumont 0
West Ranch 7, Trabuco Hills 6
San Juan Hills 8, Riverside North 7
Oak Park 10, Cerritos Valley Christian 4
Highland 7, Northview 2
La Serna 4, Carter 0
Dos Pueblos 5, Crescenta Valley 0
Liberty 10, Arcadia 3
DIVISION 5
Anaheim 11, Flintridge Sacred Heart 0
Patriot 11, Arrowhead Christian 9
Temple City 9, Rancho Christian 6
Grace 11, Buena Park 0
Crean Lutheran 3, Alemany 2
Shadow Hills 8, Cerritos 3
San Marcos 10, Leuzinger 0
South El Monte 7, Long Beach Wilson 5
Covina 11, Garden Grove Santiago 1
Muir 8, Rio Hondo Prep 7
Santa Monica 6, Katella 5
Ontario 6, Norwalk 2
Northwood 18, Duarte 11
DIVISION 7
Bloomington 9, Fillmore 8
Miller 11, Savanna 3
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 11, Riverside Springs Magnolia 4
Faith Baptist 18, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 4
Twentynine Palms 16, Rancho Alamitos 15
Riverside Notre Dame 12, Costa Mesa 2
Firebaugh 9, Pioneer 8
Chadwick 6, Desert Christian Academy 1
Cathedral City 2, Artesia 1
Orange 9, Bellflower 3
Santa Ana 10, Hawthorne 0
Culver City 9, Temecula Prep 8
DIVISION 8
Banning 20, Redlands Adventist 3
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION 1
La Habra at Murrieta Mesa, noon
Chino Hills at Orange Lutheran
Etiwanda at Westlake
La Mirada at Palos Verdes, noon
Garden Grove Pacifica at Cypress, noon
Ayala at JSerra
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Oaks Christian, 1 p.m.
Norco at Riverside Poly
DIVISION 2
Bonita at Ganesha, 11 a.m.
Whittier Christian at Warren
Simi Valley at St. Paul
Moorpark at Lakewood St. Joseph, 11 a.m.
Temescal Canyon at San Clemente, 12:30 p.m.
Huntington Beach at Camarillo, Monday
Saugus at Vista Murrieta, 12:30 p.m.
Mater Dei at Gahr, noon
DIVISION 3
Great Oak at Rancho Cucamonga
Edison at El Toro, Monday
Murrieta Valley at North Torrance
West Ranch at San Juan Hills
Riverside Prep at Oak Park, 12:30 p.m.
La Serna at Highland
Dos Pueblos at La Salle, Monday
Villa Park at Liberty, 1 p.m.
DIVISION 4
St. Bonaventure at Harvard-Westlake, 11 a.m.
Apple Valley at Oxnard
Don Lugo at Monrovia, 1:30 p.m.
La Quinta at Mira Costa
Rio Mesa at Mission Viejo, 10 a.m.
Oak Hills at Sunny Hills
Ramona at Paramount
Burbank Burroughs at Rosary, Monday
DIVISION 5
Anaheim vs. Santa Clara at Beck Park
Temple City at Patriot
Crean Lutheran at Grace
Viewpoint at Shadow Hills
San Marcos at Irvine University, noon
South El Monte at Covina
Santa Monica at Muir, 10:30 a.m.
Northwood at Ontario, 1 p.m.
DIVISION 6
Irvine at Lakeside
Alhambra at Heritage
Eastside at Granite Hills, noon
El Monte at St. Genevieve
Sierra Vista vs. Southlands Christian at Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd
Hesperia Christian vs. St. Monica Prep at Memorial Park, 2 p.m.
Arroyo at Lancaster
San Jacinto at Jurupa Valley
DIVISION 7
Bloomington at Ramona Convent
Miller at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel
Faith Baptist at Twentynine Palms, Monday
Firebaugh vs. Riverside Notre Dame at Ramona
Chadwick at Cathedral City
Orange at Victor Valley, 11 a.m.
Santa Ana at Culver City, Monday
Windward at Edgewood, Monday at 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION 8
ACE at Avalon
Bolsa Grande vs. San Bernardino, Monday at San Bernardino College
Workman at Glendale
Cobalt at Santa Rosa Academy
Bell Gardens vs. Brentwood at John Anson Ford Park
Pomona Catholic vs. Capistrano Valley Christian at Laguna Hills, 2 p.m.
Fontana at Banning
Hawthorne MSA at Arroyo Valley, 1 p.m.
Note: Quarterfinals May 20; Semifinals May 23; Finals May 28-30 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
After a slow first round at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia on Thursday, pace of play was a point of emphasis at the PGA Championship on Friday.
However, when an official approached Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley, they became animated.
Thomas, a longtime Team USA Ryder Cup member, and Bradley, last year’s United States captain, were on the fourth hole when they were approached by an official in a cart, and the conversation quickly turned into finger-pointing.
Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley watch from the tenth green during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 2026. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Thomas said after the round that he, Bradley and fellow USA Ryder Cupper Cameron Young, who won the Cadillac Championship earlier this month, were put on the clock, with the official telling them to pick up the pace. However, both Bradley and Thomas appeared to point at the group in front of them.
“We just didn’t really agree with it,” Thomas said, citing course conditions, high winds and tough pins. “We were behind. That wasn’t our issue… It’s just the fact that we weren’t holding up the group behind us.”
Thomas said they were caught up with the pace on the very next hole.
Justin Thomas plays his shot on the 15th tee during the second round of the PGA Championship in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
GARRICK HIGGO SHARES BAFFLING COMMENTS WHILE REACTING TO TWO-SHOT PENALTY AT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Thomas had a lengthy conversation with the official, while Bradley appeared to make his point short and sweet — though he was definitely not happy with the call.
It is a large PGA Championship field, with 156 golfers at the course and groups even starting their rounds on the back nine. The scores have also been rather high, with just 25 players below par at the time of publishing.
Aronimink also features a shared tee box on 1 and 10, holes 9 and 17 crossing paths, and a lengthy par-3 eighth hole that’s causing problems. Three par-3s are over 200 yards on the course, and there is also a 457-yard par 4 on the fourth.
Keegan Bradley prepares to putt on the 14th green during the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
As Chris Gotterup put it on Friday, “You’re not going to get any four-and-a-half hour rounds out here.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
Health24 minutes agoShe Lost 94 Pounds After Ditching Sugar—‘The Food Noise Vanished’
-
Lifestyle42 minutes ago‘Wait Wait’ for May 16. 2026: With Not My Job guest Ken Jennings
-
Education48 minutes agoVideo: How We Tested Dog Leashes
-
Technology54 minutes agoSnap, YouTube, and TikTok settle suit over harm to students
-
World60 minutes agoSeveral injured after car plows into Italy crowd, driver stabs passerby: report
-
Politics1 hour agoActBlue CEO faces June 10 grilling after fundraising powerhouse allegedly misled Congress on foreign donations
-
Health1 hour agoRudy Giuliani reveals he had ‘spiritual experience’ while in pneumonia-related coma
-
Sports1 hour agoIt’s Game 7, and we have a bet locked in as the Cavaliers and legacies are on the line against the Pistons