Couple that with the fact that the Rams were on the verge of winning for the first time since mid-October thanks to a strong defensive effort and Steven Jackson's first 100-yard rushing effort since the Dallas game.

But just when it seemed as if the tortuous eight-game losing streak was about to be extinguished, the Rams outdid themselves on the trail to one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

A 13-point lead disappeared in minutes. A 48-yard touchdown pass from Shaun Hill to Josh Morgan gave San Francisco a 17-16 lead with 1:22 to play. And then a bizarre play call and a Marc Bulger interception sealed the deal.

"You hate to say you saw it coming, but a season like this, we're finding ways to blow games and giving away our leads," Bulger said.

For the second week in a row, the Rams were nipped at the wire. Last week, they lost 23-20 on a Seattle field goal on the final play of the game. Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome, it was a 17-16 loss after Tarell Brown's interception with 16 seconds to play.

"We gave the game away," a despondent coach Jim Haslett said. "I appreciate the guys' effort. I thought they played their hearts out. Obviously we didn't get it done. So from that standpoint it was disappointing."

No, this goes beyond disappointment. This particular Rams team is hexed, cursed, doomed. How else do you explain what happened Sunday?

"I don't feel like it's cursed," cornerback Fakhir Brown said. "But when it rains, it pours."

This is more than a downpour. This is a monsoon of bad Football, bad luck and bad players.

"We're just not good enough right now," Bulger said. "Whether we lack the talent or the breaks, or whatever, we're just collectively - myself included - we're just not playing good enough to win. But 'Haz' had us playing. It's not that guys aren't playing hard, I promise you that. It's just we're not good enough. It's as simple as that."

When Josh Brown kicked his third field goal of the day early in the fourth quarter, the Rams led 16-3. At that point in the game, they had outgained San Francisco 304 yards to 131. They had dominated the time of possession, 32 minutes 7 seconds to 16:17.

They were plus-4 in takeaway-giveaways, and the frazzled Hill was eight of 19 for 89 yards with three interceptions and a paltry passer rating of 17.1.

No one even seemed to mind when San Francisco scored its first touchdown of the day, on a 3-yard grab by Bruce with 4:03 to play. The catch gave Bruce 1,000 for his career, was duly noted on the scoreboard and by stadium public address announcer Jim Holder. The crowd of about 45,000 reacted with warm applause.

No one was applauding a few minutes later when things fell apart in a big way, beginning with that one deep heave by Hill. San Francisco wide receivers Josh Morgan and Jason Hill both ran "go" routes deep down the left sideline.

It looked as if Shaun Hill was trying to get the ball to Jason Hill, and simply underthrew him. But it was Morgan who came down with the ball for a 48-yard TD and a 17-16 San Francisco lead with 1:22 remaining.

Not even Mike Singletary, now 4-4 as San Francisco's interim head coach, was sure about the intended receiver.

"I have no idea," Singletary said. "I don't know, and I don't care. I'm just thankful one of them came down with it."

Haslett said cornerback Fakhir Brown "slowed up" on the play. "He thought the quarterback was down," Haslett continued. "He slowed up and tried to recover, and it was too late. It was his guy on the route."

Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe also was in the area and stretched out for the interception but couldn't quit get there.

"I don't know what Coach Haslett said," Fakhir Brown said. "But for me, what I'll say is he just made a play. At a crucial time, he made a play on me."

Even with their lead gone, the Rams merely needed to get within field goal range of Josh Brown's strong right leg to have a chance to pull out the victory. They clawed out a couple of first downs, but on first and 10 from the San Francisco 45 with 25 seconds to play, the Rams called a draw play to Jackson. The 49ers knew the play was coming and were calling it out before the handoff. Not only was it stuffed for a 3-yard loss, but the Rams had to burn their second timeout.

It was a strange call considering the lack of time on the clock and the fact that the Rams needed 13 yards - not 3 or 4 - just to get in range for a 50-yard field goal.

"(Jackson) just got stuffed," Haslett said. "They had a blitz on. They'd been playing coverage, coverage, coverage. and had a blitz on, and just had one more guy than we had (to block)."

In the locker room afterward, no Rams players went on the record with their dismay for the call, but more than one player rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I don't want to get into talking about play calling," Bulger said. "It's probably not the right time to do that."

Even after the play, the Rams still had a chance with 22 seconds and one timeout remaining. But that's when Bulger's pass intended for Avery was picked off by Tarell Brown.

"Their DB read the route and made a nice play," Bulger said. "He jumped it, and that happens."

And happens and happens to the Rams (2-13), who have now lost nine straight - the longest losing streak for the team since the franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995.