49ers fire first-year coach Jim Tomsula after losing year

The players, as always, were there to answer questions about the game, the season, the direction of the franchise.

The St. Louis offense was effective early to take a quick lead. Brown started his second consecutive game Sunday and held Rams defensive end William Hayes without a sack. “It’s the last game of the season, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth”.

That’s such a ideal end-season metaphor for the void at the top of all things in the 49ers’ organization. He did his part, as did Vance McDonald, who let a pass fly through his arms on 3-and-4 from the Rams 37-yard line with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. The 49ers won’t be playing in that game, of course, but the team found itself waltzing away on a high note nonetheless. Also in the first half, Harris recorded a 47-yard run through a gaping hole up the middle to set up a Phil Dawson field goal.

Harris had eight catches for 86 yards and Boldin five for 71. The context? Bowman said Baalke told him to “just keep working and we will get it right”.

As in most of his starts, Gabbert mostly was content to throw short passes.

Patton avoided two tacklers and streaked downfield for 33 yards before he was tackled at the St. Louis 5-yard line. Most of those teams though have a star to draw fans to the game.

And so much for finishing at. 500 for the first time since 2006 for the first time since 2004. “Next year we’ll be closing out a lot of these games”. “Our goal this season was bigger than 8-8”.

Maybe so, but 8-8 would have at least meant a sliver of progress. The team announced its decision Sunday night after the 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams.

“Heartbreakers like that are tough”, Keenum said. Other names also mentioned above include Chip Kelly (unemployed) and David Shaw (Stanford) that would be major press conference wins for an ownership group not in good standing with the fanbase.

In fact, Drew Henson, who played for Tomsula in Europe, said that Tomsula compared favorably to Lloyd Carr, Joe Torre and Bill Parcells as a motivator. And they made the plays.

The 49ers ran out and swarmed Dawson after the winning kick.

St. Louis was forced to play without their best offensive weapon, Todd Gurley after he was ruled out before the game due to a toe injury. “The evidence we got was today”. So is Alec Ogletree. Gave up only one deep pass during the entire game.

But Mason had only 44 yards on 18 carries. Once again the Rams defense allowed over 300 passing yards, as that was their giving up average the past three games. His first career interception came on December 23, 2012, against Tampa Bay.

Owner Stan Kroenke, who wants to move the team to Los Angeles, was in attendance Sunday.

Love was indeed in the air of the Niners’ locker room after the victory.

“You congratulate Coach Jim (Tomsula) for the good job that they did”, Fisher said. The wide receiver then shed his defender and walked into the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown, putting the Niners up 7-3. “I don’t have any authority to say anything about that”.