49ers history vs. Rams since Kyle Shanahan became head coach

Since taking over as the San Francisco 49ers head coach in 2017, Kyle Shanahan has helped the Niners return to their winning ways, especially against one of their chief rivals, the Los Angeles Rams.

Granted, it took some time as San Francisco split games versus LA that first year under Shanahan and was defeated in both during the 2018 season.

From 2019 onward, however, the 49ers have had the Rams' number.

Since that point, Los Angeles has defeated the Niners just three times, including a Week 18 LA victory against San Francisco's backups, who were taking the field after Shanahan's squad already clinched the No. 1 seed for the playoffs to cap off the 2023 season.

The only other losses during the past five years came during the NFC Championship game in January of 2022, and then again in Week 3 in 2024. The 49ers' Super Bowl hopes were extinguished in a three-point loss, and as we know, the Rams went on to win the title that year against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Shanahan led his football team to nine straight regular-season victories over the Rams from mid-October of 2019 until the final week of 2023. In 2022, Shanahan rallied his troops up to capture back-to-back blowouts against the Rams.

San Francisco's defense came up forced four turnovers in those victories including three picks. The 49ers did not allow for any running back to accumulate more than 55 yards rushing either.

Entering 2024, the Niners and the Rams have played each other 50 times during the regular season.

Shanahan has been a main driving force in the 49ers holding the recent edge with 10 regular-season wins over Los Angeles in contrast to four such losses.

49ers aim to beat Rams (again) in Week 15

So what's different for this NFC West rivalry after Week 3's loss in 2024?

For starters, the Niners are again without the leading rusher and Offensive Player of the Year from a season ago in Christian McCaffrey (PCL). But Jordan Mason, who filled in admirably for McCaffrey over the first half of the year, landed on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.

Both teams looked like playoff contenders in the two games against each other last regular season, yet the two NFC West squads are currently on the outside of the playoff picture, looking up at NFC postseason seeds.

Related story: 49ers fans expected to (again) take over SoFI Stadium in Week 3

Of the past 12 games between the 49ers and Rams (including playoffs), seven of the games have been decided by seven points or less. That includes the only losses by San Francisco in that span, all by three points.

Outplaying Los Angeles in multiple facets has been the winning formula for Shanahan in this divisional series. The Niners force turnovers, contain the opposing running backs, and maximize production from both the air and ground game.

For San Francisco, it's looking to remind the Rams who has been the division leader the past two seasons and a playoff regular the past three.

Now, the challenge is to revert back to that domination again toward the close of 2024.

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