Sean McVay Rewards Los Angeles Rams Bettors With Hilarious Field Goal To Secure Backdoor Cover Over 49ers

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You know the saying, right? "Good teams win, great teams cover." Well, Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams apparently take that very seriously. Even if it means sneaking in the "backdoor" cover against the rival 49ers.

Credit to the Rams: they hung with the San Francisco 49ers for the majority of the game. In a contest that everyone expected the 49ers to win, the Rams had the score tied at halftime.

But their offense stalled in the second half against the vaunted San Francisco defense. The Rams scored on all three first-half possessions, scoring two touchdowns and a field goal. Rookie sensation Puka Nacua, who burst onto the scene in Week 1, continued to catch everything.

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INGLEWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) runs after a catch during the NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams on September 17, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

However, the team just couldn't seem to get it going coming out of the break. Their first three drives ended in two punts and an interception. The Rams finally got points with a field goal on drive four, but another Matthew Stafford interception and a turnover-on-downs left them in a 30-20 hole with very little time remaining.

The Rams offense took the field down by 10 with just 1:34 left on the clock. They needed a miracle to tie the score.

That miracle didn't come. It took the Rams six plays just to get the ball over the 50-yard line. Then, on a third-and-2 from the 49ers 37-yard line, Stafford hit (who else?) Nacua for a 17-yard gain down to the 49ers 20-yard line.

With no timeouts and fewer than 20 seconds remaining, the game was over. At least, from the standpoint of which team was going to win.

But rather than just let the last few seconds tick off the clock, Stafford hurried the offense to the line and spiked the football with four seconds left.

At that point, Sean McVay sent his field goal unit onto the field. Brett Maher connected on a completely meaningless 37-yard field goal as time expired. The 49ers won 30-23.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay sent kicker Brett Maher out for a meaningless last-second field goal against the 49ers that gave the Rams a

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay sent kicker Brett Maher out for a meaningless last-second field goal against the 49ers that gave the Rams a "backdoor" cover. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

But that field goal wasn't meaningless for everyone. The Los Angeles Rams entered the game as 7-and-a-half-point underdogs.

So, when Maher trotted onto the field, Rams bettors had to be ecstatic. On the flip side, 49ers bettors had to be thinking, "you've got to be kidding me."

The Maher field goal officially allowed the Rams to cover the spread, securing the "backdoor" cover. A great win for Rams bettors.

An absolutely disgusting beat for 49ers bettors.

That's why they call it "gambling."

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.