SANTA CLARA, California (AP) Carlos Hyde ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns as the San Francisco 49ers spoiled the Rams’ first game since moving back to Los Angeles with a 28-0 victory in the NFL on Monday.
Shaun Draughn also ran for a score and Blaine Gabbert threw a touchdown pass to Vance McDonald to help the 49ers post their first season-opening shutout in team history and win their first game under new coach Chip Kelly.
After Los Angeles football fans waited more than 21 years to once again be able to call a team their own, they need to wait at least another week to see that team score.
Case Keenum threw for just 130 yards with two interceptions, star running back Todd Gurley was held to 47 yards on 17 carries and the Rams barely even threatened the Niners as they made only 10 first downs all game.
“That wasn’t what we expected, certainly not what I expected for the first game back in L.A.,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “We have some work to do obviously.”
San Francisco wasn’t much better offensively but managed to run the ball fairly effectively early, leading to the two first-half touchdowns by Hyde and Draughn.
In Monday’s other game, Ben Roethlisberger recovered his own fumble at a pivotal moment and didn’t look back, throwing three touchdown passes to lead Pittsburgh over Washington 38-16.
Roethlisberger completed 27 of 37 passes for 300 yards, including two touchdowns to All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown and another to Eli Rogers. Brown made eight catches for 126 yards.
Starting in place of the suspended Le’Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.
Washington led 6-0 and appeared to have another scoring opportunity late in the first quarter when linebacker Ryan Kerrigan sacked and stripped Roethlisberger deep in Pittsburgh territory. But Steelers center Maurkice Pounceyknocked the ball out of Kerrigan’s hands, and Roethlisberger dived on it at his own 13-yard line.
Roethlisberger then guided Pittsburgh 87 yards down the field, finishing the drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Brown on a gutsy fourth-and-1 call from the Washington 29.
The next time he got the ball, Roethlisberger took the Steelers 67 yards on 14 plays to make it 14-6.
Washington got it as close as 24-16 on Chris Thompson‘s fourth-quarter touchdown, but Roethlisberger responded again, taking the Steelers 77 yards to set up Williams’ 15-yard touchdown run.
Kirk Cousins finished 30 of 43 for 329 yards and two interceptions for Washington.
Photo credit – Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / Santa Clara, CA
