LA Rams vs 49ers rivalry comes to a head in NFC Championship Game

Rivalry history: The McVay years

Is this just some sort of lucky streak, the type of random fortune that one may have at the weekly poker game with friends, or at the community Bingo Hall?  Or is this something more? Is this a repeated schooling of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to his friend and coaching colleague Sean McVay?

Let’s examine the history of these two teams over the past five seasons:

2017

Week 3: LA Rams 41 San Francisco 49ers 39
It was the (Jared) Goff and (Todd) Gurley show, as the pair combined for five touchdowns. The Rams almost squandered a 15 point lead. The 49ers, without a touchdown in their first two games, scored in this one. The Rams defeated 49ers QB, Brian Hoyer.

Week 17: San Francisco 34 LA Rams 13
The LA Rams rested all of their starters, giving the 49ers an almost certain victory. The game was the 49ers’ fifth consecutive win, giving a bit of optimism to the team after struggling to a 1-10 mark at one point. The Rams lost to 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

2018

Week 7: LA Rams 39 San Francisco 49ers 10
It was another Goff and Gurley show, as the pair combined for another five touchdowns. The Rams defense showed up too, getting seven quarterback sacks and four turnovers. The Rams defeated 49ers QB C.J. Beathard.

Week 17: LA Rams 48 San Francisco 49ers 32
Even as the LA Rams were a guaranteed playoff team, they needed to defeat the 49ers to be in play for a BYE week in the postseason feeding frenzy that gave the Rams their BYE, and postseason momentum. Once more, the Rams defense was insanely opportunistic, getting another four turnovers against the 49ers. The Rams defeated 49ers QB, Nick Mullens.