Garoppolo back on track

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Jimmy Garoppolo threw three touchdown passes in the first half and Jason Verrett’s first interception in more than four years helped preserve the lead, giving the 49ers a 24-16 victory over the Rams on Sunday night.

Garoppolo bounced back after a rough performance last week in a loss to the Dolphins in which he got pulled at halftime after struggling on a bum ankle to help the defending NFC champion 49ers (3-3) snap a two-game skid.

He staked the Niners to a 21-6 halftime lead over the Rams (4-2) by relying mostly on short passes and connecting on TDs with Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk.

Their defense stepped up with some key stops in the second half. The Rams got in the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter but settled for a field goal after Andrew Whitworth committed a false start on third-and- one.

The Rams were in position to cut even more into the deficit before Dre Greenlaw stopped Darrell Henderson for a one-yard loss on second-and-goal from the 1, Cooper Kupp dropped a pass in the end zone on third down and Verrett came up with the interception on fourth down.

Verrett has ended up on injured reserve in five of his six seasons in the NFL and played only 66 defensive snaps the last three years. His interception was part of a rough day overall for Jared Goff, who also missed an open Kupp on a deep ball earlier in the second half. Goff went 19-for-38 for 198 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Garoppolo was unable to keep up his fast start to the game but finished 23-for-33 for 268 yards.

One week after getting stopped on an early fourth-and- one gamble, the Niners converted in a big way. Garoppolo found Kittle on a oneon- one matchup with Darious Williams on a fourth-and-two play that turned into a 44yard touchdown.