49ers: Offensive again in 27-6 loss to Rams

Rams rookie Todd Gurley, who ran for 133 yards — including 71 on a second-quarter touchdown romp — fends off a tackle attempt from Kenneth Acker in the third quarter. Rams rookie Todd Gurley, who ran for 133 yards — including 71 on a second-quarter touchdown romp — fends off a tackle attempt from Kenneth Acker in the third quarter. Photo: Michael B. Thomas, Getty Images Photo: Michael B. Thomas, Getty Images Image 1 of / 48 Caption Close 49ers: Offensive again in 27-6 loss to Rams 1 / 48 Back to Gallery

ST. LOUIS — With Carlos Hyde and Anquan Boldin playing in the first seven games, the 49ers ranked last in the NFL in points and yards per game.

So how do you think they performed Sunday without their leading rusher and receiver?

Yep. That’s correct.

Thanks to another stunningly awful offensive showing, the 49ers fell 27-6 to the Rams on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome to drop to 2-6 for the first time since 2010.

The 49ers arrived shorthanded, with both Hyde (foot) and Boldin (hamstring) hurting. And their absence contributed to a painful performance in which they had 11 first downs, 189 yards and converted 3 of 17 third downs. The 49ers haven’t scored a touchdown in the past 130 minutes and 52 seconds of game action.

“Today was not good enough,” head coach Jim Tomsula said after his team had 13 penalties for 93 yards. “And that is me 100 percent.”

That should sound familiar. Tomsula has offered variations on a blame-me line throughout a season that is beginning to have plenty of familiar echoes. The basic script: an offensive no-show and a blowout loss that’s followed by players searching for answers.

“We put the hours in,” inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman said. “It’s not like we’re sitting on our behinds. I don’t know. It sucks.”

Entering Sunday, the 49ers had three of the five games this season in which a team had gained fewer than 197 yards. They now have gained fewer than 200 yards and scored fewer than eight points in four of their eight games. The combined score: 111-19.

On Sunday, they didn’t have a player with more than 35 yards receiving or 29 yards rushing, and their 38 rushing yards were their fewest since Sept. 13, 2009. Tight end Vernon Davis was optimistic the 49ers could expose a weakness in the Rams’ secondary, but quarterback Colin Kaepernick (20-for-41, 162 yards, 59.2 passer rating) averaged 3.93 yards per attempt, the second-lowest figure of his 56-start career.

“All week, we made a big emphasis of going at (safety) T.J. McDonald,” Davis said. “It just didn’t work in our favor.”

The 49ers’ already bleak situation wasn’t helped by in-game attrition. Reggie Bush, starting in place of Hyde, exited in the first quarter with a knee injury. And Bush’s backup, rookie Mike Davis, didn’t play in the second half because of a hand injury. As a result, the 49ers’ only available running back in the final 30 minutes was Kendall Gaskins, who was making his NFL debut after he was promoted from the practice squad Saturday. The 49ers’ running backs had 10 yards on 15 carries

Tomsula said he wouldn’t discuss any potential starting-lineup moves, but Bowman had an in-jest suggestion when asked if he’d like to see offensive changes.

“I can’t comment on the offense,” Bowman said. “I wish I could just ask the coach to play running back, or something. But that’s not how this business works. We have to do our job that we signed up for. I’m sure the offensive side will get it together.”

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There initially was reason for optimism.

The 49ers opened the game with first downs on their first two plays and capped a 44-yard drive with a 54-yard field goal by Phil Dawson to take a 3-0 lead.

And that was just about it for offensive highlights.

The rest of the nightmare included several what’s-going-on-here moments. The 49ers, for example, had three penalties on a punt return in the first quarter. Later in the quarter, Kaepernick didn’t notice wide receiver Torrey Smith and Jerome Simpson had both been left uncovered and handed the ball to Mike Davis, who was tackled for a 1-yard loss. In the third quarter, linebacker Ahmad Brooks picked up Benny Cunningham’s fumble and ran 41 yards into the end zone. However, Brooks had yanked Cunningham’s facemask just before he picked up the loose ball and the score was nullified because of his 15-yard penalty.

Trailing 3-2, St. Louis (4-3) took the lead on a 71-yard run by rookie running back Todd Gurley (20 carries, 133 yards), who had his fourth straight 100-yard game in his fourth career start.

It was all the points the Rams needed to beat the 49ers, whose head coach was left searching for a solution after a familiar loss.

“Obviously, I haven’t gotten to the right answer yet,” Tomsula said, “but we’ll find the right answer.”

Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch

49ers’ 3 notables

S Jaquiski Tartt: In his first career start, the rookie second-round pick had six tackles and a forced fumble. However, he also took a poor angle before he fell down on Todd Gurley’s 71-yard TD run.

RB Mike Davis: The rookie second-round pick had 10 carries for 4 yards before he missed the second half with a hand injury. Davis has 24 yards on 25 carries this season.

TE Vernon Davis: Davis’s six catches were his most since Oct. 13, 2013, but he had only 24 yards.

— Eric Branch