Luke Kuechly questions Rams decision to insert backups against 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers maintained a 27-7 lead over the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth quarter when kicker Eddy Piñeiro missed a 52-yard field goal attempt with 3:29 remaining. During the Netflix broadcast, analyst Luke Kuechly noted the missed kick provided an opportunity for the Rams to close the gap. Shortly after the miss, however, Rams head coach Sean McVay replaced starting quarterback Matthew Stafford with Stetson Bennett IV and deployed the team's second-unit players. When asked by announcer Noah Eagle if he was surprised by the substitution, Kuechly expressed skepticism regarding the decision to bench the starters while the team still held three timeouts and the two-minute warning. The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 inductee stated he expected the Rams to attempt a comeback before pivoting to reserve players.

• 3:56 AMYahoo Sports — Netflix's Luke Kuechly talks Rams' comeback as backups enter vs 49ers