San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams

Daniel Collins

Written by: Daniel Collins

Last Updated:

Read Time: 4 minutes

The long rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams is considered one of the best in the National Football League. This rivalry took a step back when the Rams moved to St. Louis, but their return to Los Angeles has brought some new life and intensity into the rivalry.

The 49ers and Rams have been competing against each other since 1950, and the peak of this rivalry occurred during the 1970s when both teams were near the top of the league. The fact that one team is from Northern California while the other is from Southern California plays a huge role in this rivalry as well.

Even though the San Francisco 49ers are the much more storied franchise, the Los Angeles Rams have always put up a fight in this rivalry. It’s never easy to make a prediction about any rivalry, but odds are that this one will continue to grow as time goes on.

History of 49ers vs. Rams Rivalry

The first meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams took place on October 1, 1950 and was a 35-14 victory by the Rams. The Rams dominated this rivalry in the early years and went 17-3 against their new rivals in the 1970s.

Los Angeles held a whopping 20 game lead in the all-time series at the end of 1979, but then things started to shift in a big way. The San Francisco 49ers went 17-3 against the Rams in the 1990s and have taken control of the all-time series. The 49ers have a 68-67-3 lead in the head-to-head series against the Rams, and they have also won the lone playoff game between the California rivals.

The Rams have had a terrific run of dominant teams through the years, but they aren’t even close to matching the success of the San Francisco 49ers. It has been hard to pick the winner of the games in this rivalry, and don’t expect that to change as time goes on.

The San Francisco 49ers were founded in 1946 and began playing in the All-America Football Conference. They were brought into the National Football League in 1950 and have been one of the most successful teams in league history. San Francisco has made 25 playoff appearances since joining the NFL and has won the division 19 times since 1970.

The 49ers franchise is one of the most valuable teams in all of professional sports, and they hold several team records from their glory days in the 1980s and 1990s. San Francisco has been almost impossible to beat when reaching the Super Bowl, winning the championship in five of their six trips to the championship game.

The Los Angeles Rams franchise was founded in 1936, and they have bounced around from city to city over the years. The team was originally founded in Cleveland, Ohio and was moved to Los Angeles in 1946. The team was moved to St. Louis in 1995 and remained in the state of Missouri through the 2015 season.

Los Angeles got their Rams back in 2016, and the fans have come out in force to support their team again. The Rams have won a total of three league championships in team history, with all three of them coming in a different city. The Rams have posted a 568-562-21 record in team history and have had some periods of dominance throughout the years.

Head to Head Analysis of 49ers vs. Rams

In order to make some predictions for the 49ers and Rams rivalry, let’s look at the last 20 games in this rivalry in terms of head-to-head victories. The 49ers have been in San Francisco during the last 20 years, while the Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles during this stretch. San Francisco has been the clear leader in this rivalry since the 2009 regular season, winning 13 of the last 20 games against the Rams.

The Rams have been a popular pick for the Super Bowl in recent seasons, but beating their in-state rivals hasn’t been an easy task. The 49ers have been almost unbeatable at home in this rivalry, posting a 7-3 record against the Rams in games played in San Francisco.

The Rams have been more competitive at home, but they have still seen their rival win six of the ten games played in their home stadium. Odds are that these trends might shift in future seasons, but there is no denying that the 49ers have been better than the Rams when the two teams take the field in the last 20 games.

Even though the 49ers have dominated this rivalry in terms of head-to-head matchups, there is much more to look at. It is important to look at the point spreads and betting lines for total points in the last 20 games to get a real feel for this rivalry.

Usually looking at the results in terms of total points can help us make a prediction for the upcoming season, but that hasn’t been the case in this rivalry. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams have combined to go both “over” and “under” the total points line ten times apiece in the last 20 games. The “over” has been the right bet in four of the last five games, so maybe making a pick on the “over” is the right pick moving forward.

The San Francisco 49ers have been the betting favorite in 12 of the last 20 games against the Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco managed to go 7-5 against the spread when they were the favorites in this rivalry. In the eight games that the Los Angeles Rams were the betting favorites, the Rams went 4-4 against the spread. Some rivalries give a clear picture of trends in terms of betting on these games, but not much can be determined from looking at the results of the last 20 games.

A Glance at Postseason Success in 49ers vs. Rams Rivalry

Even though the Rams and 49ers are close in the all-time head-to-head standings, San Francisco has a clear lead in terms of postseason accomplishments. The 49ers have racked up five league championships in team history, with all of them coming during the Super Bowl era. Los Angeles has three league championships in team history, but just one of those has come during the Super Bowl era.

The Rams do lead the 49ers in terms of playoff appearances, making 29 postseason appearances to just 26 for San Francisco. San Francisco has won the National League West Division 19 times since 1970, while the Los Angeles Rams have done it just 13 times.

The Rams have been on the upswing in recent years, and they look poised to contend for the Super Bowl in future seasons. The 49ers are still holding strong as well, and you can bet that this rivalry will result in some fiercely competitive games moving forward.