SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Two typically reliable kickers missed. Penalties doomed both sides. And a furious, thrilling finish to regulation ended with a dramatic dud in overtime: a tie.

And nobody particularly likes a tie. Especially not the NFC West-leading 49ers, with a chance to separate themselves against a division rival. Or the Rams, eager to snap a three-game losing streak.

San Francisco and St. Louis played the NFL's first tie game in four years as both teams missed overtime field goals in Sunday's 24-24 outcome.

``I have to say, I've been doing this a while. I don't think I've ever been in a game like this,'' Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. ``As I told our guys, we had a number of chances to put the game away. And, unfortunately, we didn't.''

Greg Zuerlein kicked a 53-yarder, but the Rams were penalized 5 yards for delay of game - which holder Johnny Hekker said was his fault. Zuerlein tried again from 58 as Fisher played for the win, and missed wide right with 2:42 left in OT.

San Francisco's David Akers missed wide left on a 41-yard attempt that could have sealed it for the 49ers (6-2-1), who lost quarterback Alex Smith to a first-half concussion.

And just when it seemed the 49ers - and Akers' typically reliable left leg - would have one more chance to win it, San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis was flagged for holding Lance Kendricks on third down. That extended St. Louis' last drive, a costly mistake in a long list of them on an uncharacteristically sloppy day by coach Jim Harbaugh's team.

``I don't know what to make of this,'' Willis said. ``We have one of the best kickers in the game, and it came down to him at the end and he misses it. That tells you right there something wasn't right.''

Akers booted a tying 33-yarder with 3 seconds left in regulation after Sam Bradford threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Austin Pettis with 1:09 remaining.