The 49ers won just their second game of the season on Saturday, but it was costly.
Running back Carlos Hyde, who was closing in on the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career, suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in a knee and had to leave the game against the Rams.
He now faces surgery and will miss the final game of the season this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
“It didn’t feel that bad when it first happened,” Hyde told reporters after the 22-21 victory over the Rams in Los Angeles. “It’s pain. There’s some pain. But it didn’t feel like bad pain. I’ve felt worse. That’s why I was able to get up and walk off (the field) on my own.”
Hyde was hit by Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines early in the fourth quarter Saturday after he caught – and then fumbled away – a pass from Colin Kaepernick.
Hyde had 13 carries for 38 yards against the Rams, along with two catches for 15 yards. His 19-yard catch-and-run play in the first quarter gave San Francisco a 7-0 lead.
But Hyde – one of the few bright spots on a 2-13 team – falls 12 yards short of 1,000 yards rushing.
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In 13 games, Hyde had 988 yards on the ground on 217 carries, a 4.6-yard average, with six touchdowns. He also caught 27 passes for 163 yards and three scores.
The 49ers on Sunday will play host to the 9-5 Seattle Seahawks, who will be the NFC West champions. Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m.
