The St. Louis Rams could have clinched their first win a number of times yesterday, but their attempts in the fourth quarter fell short and finally fell through, Sportsline reports. Dante Hall dropped a punt return, which led to a 49ers field goal, and Jeff Wilkins' own 56-yard attempt went just 55 yards, letting the Niners hold onto their lead.
San Francisco's offense struggled in the messy victory, gaining only 186 yards to St. Louis's 392. Frank Gore, playing just four days after his mother's death, put up 81 of the Niners' yards. Rams quarterback Marc Bulger suffered six sacks in the game, leaving him with sore ribs and hot hands. (More NFL stories.)