Two NFC West contenders with identical records will clash under the lights on Thursday Night Football, as the San Francisco 49ers (3-1) travel south to face the Los Angeles Rams (3-1) at SoFi Stadium (8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video).
This is the 153rd meeting in a historic rivalry that San Francisco leads 78-71-3, though momentum has shifted recently. The Rams have won three straight against the 49ers, each by six points or fewer, after dropping nine consecutive regular-season matchups. Their most recent victory came last December, a defensive 12-6 slugfest in Santa Clara.
Once colleagues in Washington, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay now continue one of the NFL’s most compelling coaching duels. Shanahan owns a 10-7 edge head-to-head, but McVay has had the upper hand lately, stringing together three straight wins in the rivalry.
San Francisco’s 3-1 start has come with some glaring red flags. The Niners haven’t scored a rushing touchdown through four games—their first such drought to open a season since 1990. Their ground game is being outgained by 27.5 yards per contest, their worst rushing differential through four games since 2010. Compounding matters, they’ve gone 11 straight games without an interception, tying the NFL record set by the Giants a year ago.
Quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) will miss Thursday’s matchup, leaving veteran Mac Jones to make his first start for San Francisco. Jones will be without key targets Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle), putting more pressure on Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk to carry the receiving load.
Los Angeles has surged to a 3-1 start thanks to Matthew Stafford’s steady hand and the continued emergence of Puka Nacua, who already has 42 receptions—tied for the most through four games in NFL history alongside Cooper Kupp and Michael Thomas. Stafford needs just 11 more completions to surpass Philip Rivers (5,277) for eighth all-time in completions.
Defensively, the Rams have allowed just 86 and 85 rushing yards in their past two games, regaining their toughness in the trenches. OLB Byron Young has been a disruptive force, recording at least one sack in every game this season. His five sacks are tied for the league lead with New York Giants star Brian Burns.
At age 37, Stafford remains one of the NFL’s most dangerous rhythm passers. When he gets rolling—as he did on a two-minute drive before halftime and a game-tying march against Indianapolis—few can match his precision. The 49ers’ pass rush has underwhelmed so far, recording only five sacks in four games and failing to register a single sack or QB hit against Jacksonville last week. To slow Stafford, San Francisco will need a vintage effort from Fred Warner and its secondary, which has quietly limited explosive plays despite the lack of pressure.
Both teams sit at 3-1, and Thursday’s winner will seize early control in the NFC West, a division where every game is critical. For the 49ers, this is a chance to prove they can still handle the Rams despite their offensive struggles. For Los Angeles, it’s an opportunity to extend their win streak over San Francisco to four and establish themselves as legitimate contenders once again.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. EDT on Prime Video, with a national audience tuning in to see whether San Francisco can rediscover its edge—or if Los Angeles continues to ride Stafford’s hot hand to another statement win.
Injury Report
- 49ers: QB Brock Purdy (toe), WR Ricky Pearsall (knee), WR Jauan Jennings (ribs/ankle) out.
- Rams: LG Steve Avila (ankle) uncertain, RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) and TE Tyler Higbee (hip) doubtful.
