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What you should know about the rivalry before the Week 3 NFL game

Posted on by Vanessa
What you should know about the rivalry before the Week 3 NFL game

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The schedule for Sunday in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season calls for a divisional game between the San Francisco 49ers (1-1) and the Los Angeles Rams (0-2). Sunday is the first of two regular season games between the NFC West opponents.

Both teams suffered road losses in Week 2. San Francisco continued its losing streak in Minnesota with a 23-17 loss to the Vikings. Los Angeles lost its NFC West opener 41-10 to the Arizona Cardinals.

They are also struggling with injuries. San Francisco is without reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Tight end George Kittle is also questionable. Los Angeles is without top wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp as well as offensive linemen Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom.

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But injuries and recent losses don't matter in one of the NFL's oldest rivalries. Here's what you should know about the 49ers-Rams history:

San Francisco joined professional football in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946 before merging with the NFL in 1950. Los Angeles originally joined the NFL in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams before moving to Los Angeles in 1946 to make way for the AAFC's Cleveland Browns.

The 49ers and Rams have played each other every season since 1950, and Sunday afternoon will mark their 149th meeting. San Francisco leads the rivalry overall, 77-68-3.

49ers-Rams rank seventh all-time in most games played between two teams, behind these rivalries:

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Although the 49ers and Rams have played each other for nearly eight decades, they have only met twice in the playoffs. San Francisco beat the Rams 30-3 in the 1989 NFC Championship Game before defeating the Denver Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl 24.

Los Angeles won its second postseason game with a 20-17 victory in the 2021 NFC Championship Game against San Francisco before winning Super Bowl 46 23-20 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Record Kyle Shanahan vs. Sean McVay

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan and Los Angeles Rams coach McVay are linked by their time together as coaches with the Washington NFL franchise, and the rivalry has taken on another layer of intrigue because of their history.

McVay earned his second job in the NFL when he worked as an offensive assistant in Washington from 2010 to 2013 under Shanahan, who was the offensive coordinator. After Shanahan's father, Mike, was fired following the 2013 season, McVay took over as offensive coordinator. When the Rams hired him in 2017 at age 30, he became the youngest head coach in NFL history.

Shanahan served as offensive coordinator in Cleveland (2014) and Atlanta (2015-16) before the 49ers hired him as head coach for the 2017 season.

As a head coach, Shanahan has a 10-5 record against McVay. Los Angeles' 21-20 win in Week 18 of last season was the Rams' first regular season victory over San Francisco since 2018. But McVay won the only playoff game between these two coaches in the 2021 NFC Championship Game and also has the only Super Bowl win between the two.

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Kyle Shanahan coaching tree

McVay is one of five NFL head coaches who once worked under Shanahan before taking their current roles. Robert Saleh (New York Jets), Matt LaFleur (Packers), DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans) and Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins) are the other four.

There is another group of coaches who also serve as offensive coordinators and have worked under Shanahan, including Klint Kubiak (New Orleans Saints) and Bobby Slowik (Texans).

Sean McVay's coaching tree

McVay's success in Los Angeles — five playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory in seven seasons — has given him a coaching pedigree of his own. Current head coaches who have worked under him include Zac Taylor (Cincinnati), Kevin O'Connell (Minnesota) and Raheem Morris (Atlanta). Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan worked under Taylor and Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales also worked under former McVay assistant Shane Waldron.

Waldron (Chicago Bears), Zac Robinson (Falcons) and Liam Coen (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are all offensive coordinators in the NFL who worked under McVay before their current roles.

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