When San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Piñeiro missed a 52-yard field goal attempt with 3:29 left in the fourth quarter and a 27-7 lead against the Los Angeles Rams, Netflix analyst Luke Kuechly saw it as a huge break for the Rams.
Kuechly, a Cincinnati native who starred at St. Xavier High School, is Netflix's No. 1 NFL game analyst.
"This is what the Rams needed," Kuechly said. "That game goes to 23 (point lead), it kind of gets pushed out of reach. But right here they've got an opportunity. Great field position to push this ball down the field. Still three timeouts left and the two-minute warning. But they need to push this ball down the field to have a chance to get back into it."
As the Rams started their drive trailing by 20, it was clear head
coach Sean McVay and his staff had waved the white flag, with backup quarterback Stetson Bennett IV on the field with the Rams' second team.
Luke Kuechly was surprised the Rams gave up vs Niners in the fourth quarter.
Play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle asked Kuechly during the broadcast whether he was surprised Bennett replaced starter Matthew Stafford.
"I'm a little bit surprised with three timeouts and the capabilities they have on the offensive side of the ball," Kuechly said. "I thought they'd give it one more run. … I'm a little bit surprised they didn't give it one more go."
Kuechly was elected in February to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2026.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Netflix's Luke Kuechly talks Rams' comeback as backups enter vs 49ers
