The Los Angeles Rams inexplicably kicked a field goal Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers as time expired.
The move probably left many fans shaking their heads, because the Rams still lost by seven points, 30-23.
Yet Fox Sports’ analyst Mark Sanchez immediately realized the implications.
“Bad beat … oh man,” Sanchez said.
Brett Maher’s field goal cut the final margin to seven points. That coincidentally matched the final point spread for the game.
Meaning that kick changed quite a few fortunes at sportsbooks.
Trailing 30-20, the Rams made a field goal as time expired to lose 30-23.
The 49ers were 7-point favorites.
"Bad beat… oh man."- Fox's Mark Sanchez 🏈🎙️💸pic.twitter.com/HCcQpu7oHW
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 17, 2023
Many fans questioned Rams head coach Sean McVay’s decision to kick the field goal. Many were not kind.
An early candidate for bad beat of the year just happened on the West Coast
The Rams (+7.5) kick a meaningless field goal to cover the spread as time expires🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/ymVn9utln1
— SportSense Entertainment (@SportSenseEnt) September 17, 2023
The most important thing learned today is that Sean McVay 1,000,000% bets on football.
But at least he bets on his own team!
— Dave Kolodney (@DaveKolodney) September 18, 2023
ALL TIME BAD BEAT!!! Rams kick a meaningless field goal to COVER +7.5 that is next level sick #badbeats pic.twitter.com/G41PmuQST7
— Alex Monaco (@Alex__Monaco) September 17, 2023
Sean McVay think we not going to notice?
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) September 17, 2023
For all the comments in here about this being the last leg… why did no one take this at 6.5 or 7 for a slightly lower payout? I’d never have a -7.5 in one of my parlays… if it’s a parlay, I’ll pay the juice.
— 🔰 COYY 🔰 (@RAB216) September 17, 2023
No way the Rams just kicked that field goal, bad beat
— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) September 17, 2023
The Rams kicking a field goal down 10 to make it a 7 point loss to cover the spread as time expires maybe the funniest bad beat of the season #NFL
— Tom “Goz” Goslowski (@TomGozz) September 17, 2023
Nooo, no one in LA org bet on the Rams game or or knew the spread. Field goal with 4 sec left down 10 and under dogged by 7 and some places 7.5… talk about a bad beat
— Tommy (@VegasTommy) September 17, 2023
[Awful Announcing, Photo Credit: Fox]