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San Francisco 49ers: Power ranking the franchise’s top 5 rivalries

By Nick Di Marco

Wide receiver Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers with cornerback Deion Sanders #21 of the Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Joseph Patronite/Getty Images)
Wide receiver Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers with cornerback Deion Sanders #21 of the Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Joseph Patronite/Getty Images) /
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Opening coin toss at Candlestick Park (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
Opening coin toss at Candlestick Park (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) /

49ers Rival No. 3: Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams

The 49ers and Los Angeles Rams have faced off a staggering 141 times through the years, with the Niners having a slight edge with an overall record of 71-67-3.

This is a rivalry that has been rooted in the fact both teams hail from California and have been competing for the NFC West title for more than half a century. Although the Rams have not been their biggest rival as of late within the division, this is still a matchup most 49ers fans make a point of not missing.

Both teams have had their slew of star-studded lineups, though the Niners definitely had the edge during their golden era (the 1980s and 1990s), while the Rams became a little more influential during the “Greatest Show on Turf” era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Niners currently dominate the conference title competition with 20 total NFC West titles, to the Rams’ lesser 13 titles.

Both teams have made a Super Bowl appearance recently, and while both lost following an explosive season, they are both built to compete at a high level for years to come, equipped with some of the best young head coaches in the NFL, Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Luckily this will be a matchup fans will circle on their calendars for years to come due to both team’s competitive rosters.

Famed 49ers’ running back, Roger Craig, was once quoted saying the Rams-Niners rivalry would forever be the greatest rivalry in the franchise’s history. Let’s slightly disagree with the Niner hero and slot this competitive relationship at No. 3 on this list.