49ers–Rams rivalry

49ers–Rams rivalry
First meeting October 1, 1950
Kezar Stadium
San Francisco, California
Los Angeles Rams 35, San Francisco 49ers 14
Latest meeting January 3, 2016
Levi's Stadium
Santa Clara, California
San Francisco 49ers 19, St. Louis Rams 16
Next meeting TBA
Statistics
Meetings total 132 meetings
All-time series 49ers lead 66–64–3
Postseason results

49ers lead 1–0

Date
January 14, 1990
Location
Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
Score
San Francisco 49ers 30, Los Angeles Rams 3
Largest victory Los Angeles Rams 56–7 (1958)
Smallest victory San Francisco 49ers 31–30 (1953)
49ers 24–23 (1975)
Los Angeles Rams 21–20 (1983)
Los Angeles Rams 13–12 (1989)
San Francisco 49ers 17–16 (2007)
49ers 17–16 (2008)
Longest win streak San Francisco 49ers W17 (1990–98)
Current win streak San Francisco 49ers 1 win

The 49ersRams rivalry began in 1950 and became one of the most intense in the National Football League in the 1970s as the two California based teams regularly competed for the NFL's NFC West Division title. The intensity of the rivalry is due to the fact that the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles have long been competitors in the economic, cultural, and political arenas. After the Rams' move to St. Louis in 1995, the rivalry had lost its geographical lore though games were still intense regardless of the standings. The cultural differences between the West Coast (where the 49ers are based) and Midwest (where the Rams were based) also added to the intensity of the rivalry. In 2016, the Rams moved back to Los Angeles making the rivalry once again West Coast based. Sports Illustrated considers their rivalry the 8th best of all time in the National Football League.[1]

History

In 1950, the National Football League merged with the All-America Football Conference thus gaining three new teams. One of these teams was the San Francisco 49ers making them the second NFL franchise located on the West Coast. The first one being the Los Angeles Rams who had re-located from Cleveland in 1946. The NFL placed both of them in the newly formed National Conference (1950–52) guaranteeing that they would play each other twice during the regular season. In 1953, the National Conference was renamed the Western Conference and the American Conference was renamed the Eastern Conference which remained in place until the AFL merger forced re-alignment in 1970. For the 1967, 1968 and 1969 seasons immediately preceding the 1970 re-alignment, now with 16 franchises, the NFL divided the Western and Eastern Conferences into two Divisions of four teams each. Ironically, very similar to the present day conferences resulting from the 2002 re-alignment. The 49ers and Rams remained together in the Coastal Division of the Western Conference (1967-1969) and then in the NFC West Division since 1970. Owing to the strength of their rivalry, the 49ers and Rams have remained in place as the only two teams in the NFC West Division continuously since 1970, despite the Rams re-location to Saint Louis in 1995 and further re-alignment in 2002. They have met twice every season beginning in 1950. Their lone postseason meeting was in the NFC Championship Game during the playoffs following the 1989 season at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. This resulted in a 30–3 victory by the 49ers on January 14, 1990 immediately preceding their fourth Super Bowl appearance.

1950s

The first meeting between the teams took place on October 1, 1950 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. The Rams were alternating starting quarterbacks between Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin during the 1950 season. Waterfield was the starter for the game, but during the second quarter San Francisco's Pete Wissman landed a hard tackle on the Los Angeles quarterback. Van Brocklin filled in for Waterfield, and the Rams went on to win the game 35–14.[2] The two teams played each other again on November 5, 1950 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. After beating the Baltimore Colts 70–21 and the Detroit Lions 65–24, the Rams were favored to beat the 49ers by 20 points. Yet, the 49ers played a very physical game and only lost by a touchdown holding the Rams offensive powerhouse to only 28 points.[3]

The 49ers got their first win against the Rams on October 28, 1951. The 49er secondary was able to pick off Van Brocklin six times, more than half of the interceptions that he threw all season. The 49ers held the Rams to just 17 points, the lowest they put up all season and were able to capitalize on the turnovers en route to a 44–17 victory.

1970s

The rivalry was at its pinnacle during the 1970s. From 1970–79 one of the two teams won the NFC's West Division. The decade also featured a ten and eight game win streak by the Rams (the eight game streak was the latter of the two and stretched into the early 1980s). The 49ers were the NFC West's top team in the beginning of the decade winning the first three post merger division crowns. The Rams answered right back winning seven straight division crowns from 1973–79, culminating with Super Bowl XIV loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1980s

On January 2, 1983, a 1–7 Rams team met the 3–5 defending Super Bowl champion 49ers in San Francisco for the last game of the 1982 season (a players' strike shortened the season to 9 games), with the 49ers needing a win to make the playoffs. The Rams led late in the 4th quarter 21–20 until 49er quarterback Joe Montana led one of his patented two-minute drives, putting the 49ers in position for a short field goal. But Ivory Sully blocked Ray Wersching's kick to preserve a 21–20 win and knock the 49ers out of the playoffs.[4]

On January 14, 1990 the two teams met in the 1989 NFC Championship game. The Rams were heavy underdogs but had already pulled off two upsets on the road in the playoffs (over the Eagles and Giants). The Rams took a 3–0 early lead and were driving again, but Rams quarterback Jim Everett noticed a wide open Flipper Anderson a second too late and the pass was knocked away by 49er safety Ronnie Lott. Instead of a 10–0 Rams lead, Montana led the 49ers on a touchdown drive and San Francisco took the lead 7–3. The 49ers would win the game 30–3.

1990s

The 49ers dominated the rivalry during the 1990s winning seventeen straight games against the Rams. After nearly fifty years, it seemed like the rivalry was coming to an end when the Rams relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. Yet, some players did not believe so. Roger Craig stated in Tales from the San Francisco 49ers Sideline that "the Rams will always be the 49ers' biggest rival. It doesn't matter if they no longer play in Los Angeles. If the Rams played their home games on Mars, it would still be a rivalry."[5]

2000s

The Rams and their Greatest Show on Turf offense had the upper hand in the early part of the decade. But both teams fell into decline and neither team was a playoff contender as the decade wore on. The 49ers had the upper hand during the latter part of the decade, going 8–2 from the 2005 season to the end of the decade.

2010s

Until 2015, the Rams (the 49ers rival) was based in St. Louis, Missouri. After the NFL and owners approved their move to Los Angeles 30–2 on January 12, 2016, the rivalry became West Coast based once again and making it a Bay Area-Los Angeles rivalry again (similar to the Dodgers–Giants rivalry, the California Clasico, and other Bay Area-LA rivalries).

Game results

Post Season Meeting Tied Game Overtime Result Winners in Bold

1950s (Rams 12–7–1)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
1950 Sunday October 1 San Francisco 49ers 14-35 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 27,262
Sunday November 5 Los Angeles Rams 28-21 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 33,234
1951 Sunday October 28 San Francisco 49ers 44-17 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 49,538
Sunday November 4 Los Angeles Rams 23-16 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 54,346
1952 Sunday November 23 Los Angeles Rams 35-9 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,698
Sunday November 30 San Francisco 49ers 21-34 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 48,731
1953 Sunday October 4 San Francisco 49ers 31-30 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 43,922
Sunday November 8 Los Angeles Rams 27-31 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 85,865
1954 Sunday October 3 Los Angeles Rams 24-24 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 93,621
Sunday November 7 San Francisco 49ers 34-42 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 58,958
1955 Sunday September 25 San Francisco 49ers 23-14 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 60,100
Sunday November 6 Los Angeles Rams 27-14 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 85,302
1956 Sunday October 7 San Francisco 49ers 33-30 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 54,589
Sunday November 11 Los Angeles Rams 30-6 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 69,828
1957 Sunday October 6 San Francisco 49ers 23-20 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 59,637
Sunday November 10 Los Angeles Rams 37-24 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 102,368
1958 Sunday October 5 San Francisco 49ers 3-33 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 73,164
Sunday November 9 Los Angeles Rams 56-7 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 95,082
1959 Sunday October 4 San Francisco 49ers 34-0 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 56,028
Sunday November 8 Los Angeles Rams 16-24 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 94,376

1960s (Rams 10–9–1)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
1960 Sunday October 2 San Francisco 49ers 13-9 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 53.633
Sunday December 4 Los Angeles Rams 7-23 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,254
1961 Sunday October 8 San Francisco 49ers 35-0 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 59,004
Sunday November 12 Los Angeles Rams 17-7 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 63,766
1962 Sunday October 28 San Francisco 49ers 14-28 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 51,033
Sunday November 12 Los Angeles Rams 17-24 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 42,554
1963 Sunday October 27 Los Angeles Rams 28-21 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 45,532
Sunday December 1 San Francisco 49ers 17-21 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 33,321
1964 Sunday October 18 Los Angeles Rams 42-14 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 54,355
Sunday December 6 San Francisco 49ers 28-7 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 31,791
1965 Sunday October 17 San Francisco 49ers 45-21 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 38,615
Sunday November 21 Los Angeles Rams 27-30 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 39,733
1966 Friday September 30 Los Angeles Rams 34-3 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 45,642
Sunday November 6 San Francisco 49ers 21-13 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 35,372
1967 Sunday October 8 Los Angeles Rams 24-27 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 60,424
Sunday November 5 San Francisco 49ers 7-17 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 53,194
1968 Sunday October 6 Los Angeles Rams 24-10 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 69,520
Sunday November 17 San Francisco 49ers 20-20 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 41,815
1969 Sunday October 12 San Francisco 49ers 21-27 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 45,995
Sunday November 9 Los Angeles Rams 41-30 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 73,975

1970s (Rams 17–3)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
1970 Sunday October 11 Los Angeles Rams 6-20 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,272
Sunday November 29 San Francisco 49ers 13-30 Los Angeles Rams Kezar Stadium 59,602
1971 Sunday October 10 San Francisco 49ers 13-20 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 44,000
Sunday November 21 Los Angeles Rams 17-6 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 80,050
1972 Sunday October 8 Los Angeles Rams 31-7 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,382
Monday December 4 San Francisco 49ers 16-26 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 61,214
1973 Sunday September 30 San Francisco 49ers 14-37 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 57,487
Sunday November 18 Los Angeles Rams 31-13 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 78,358
1974 Sunday October 20 Los Angeles Rams 37-14 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 74,070
Monday November 4 San Francisco 49ers 13-15 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 57,502
1975 Sunday September 28 San Francisco 49ers 14-23 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 57,379
Sunday November 9 Los Angeles Rams 23-24 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 74,064
1976 Monday October 11 Los Angeles Rams 0-16 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 80,532
Sunday November 21 San Francisco 49ers 3-23 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 58,573
1977 Sunday October 2 Los Angeles Rams 34-14 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 55,466
Sunday November 20 San Francisco 49ers 10-23 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 56,779
1978 Sunday October 8 Los Angeles Rams 27-10 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 59,337
Sunday November 19 San Francisco 49ers 28-31 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 45,022
1979 Sunday September 16 Los Angeles Rams 27-24 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 44,303
Sunday November 25 San Francisco 49ers 20-26 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 49,282

1980s (49ers 13–8)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
1980 Sunday October 5 Los Angeles Rams 48-26 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 62,188
Sunday October 19 San Francisco 49ers 17-31 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 55,306
1981 Sunday October 25 San Francisco 49ers 20-17 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 59,190
Sunday November 22 Los Angeles Rams 31-33 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 63,456
1982 Thursday December 2 Los Angeles Rams 24-30 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 58,574
Sunday January 2 San Francisco 49ers 20-21 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 54,256
1983 Sunday October 9 San Francisco 49ers 7-10 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 59,119
Sunday October 23 Los Angeles Rams 35-45 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 66,070
1984 Sunday October 28 Los Angeles Rams 0-33 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 65,481
Friday December 14 San Francisco 49ers 19-16 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 59,743
1985 Sunday October 27 Los Angeles Rams 14-28 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 65,939
Monday December 9 San Francisco 49ers 20-27 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 60,581
1986 Sunday September 14 Los Angeles Rams 16-13 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 65,195
Friday December 19 San Francisco 49ers 24-14 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 60,366
1987 Sunday November 1 Los Angeles Rams 10-31 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 55,328
Sunday December 27 San Francisco 49ers 48-0 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 57,950
1988 Sunday October 16 Los Angeles Rams 21-24 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 65,450
Sunday December 18 San Francisco 49ers 16-38 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 62,444
1989 Sunday October 1 San Francisco 49ers 12-13 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 64,250
Monday December 11 Los Angeles Rams 27-30 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 67,959
Sunday January 14 San Francisco 49ers 30-3 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 64,769

1990s (49ers 17–3)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
1990 Sunday November 25 San Francisco 49ers 17-28 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 62,633
Monday December 17 Los Angeles Rams 10-26 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 65,619
1991 Sunday September 22 San Francisco 49ers 27-10 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 63,871
Monday November 25 Los Angeles Rams 10-33 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 61,881
1992 Sunday October 4 San Francisco 49ers 27-24 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 63,071
Sunday November 22 Los Angeles Rams 10-27 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 65,858
1993 Sunday October 31 San Francisco 49ers 40-17 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 63,417
Sunday November 28 Los Angeles Rams 10-35 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 62,143
1994 Sunday September 18 Los Angeles Rams 19-34 San Francisco 49ers Anaheim Stadium 56,479
Sunday November 20 San Francisco 49ers 31-27 Los Angeles Rams Candlestick Park 62,774
1995 Sunday October 22 St. Louis Rams 10-44 San Francisco 49ers Busch Memorial Stadium 59,915
Sunday November 26 San Francisco 49ers 41-13 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 70,031
1996 Sunday September 8 San Francisco 49ers 34-0 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 63,624
Sunday October 6 St. Louis Rams 11-28 San Francisco 49ers Trans World Dome 61,260
1997 Sunday September 7 St. Louis Rams 12-15 San Francisco 49ers Trans World Dome 64,630
Sunday October 12 San Francisco 49ers 30-10 St. Louis Rams Candlestick park 63,825
1998 Sunday October 25 St. Louis Rams 10-28 San Francisco 49ers Trans World Dome 58,563
Sunday December 27 San Francisco 49ers 38-19 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 68,386
1999 Sunday October 10 St. Louis Rams 42-20 San Francisco 49ers Trans World Dome 65,872
Sunday November 21 San Francisco 49ers 7-23 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 68,193

2000s (Tied 10–10)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
2000 Sunday September 17 St. Louis Rams 41-24 San Francisco 49ers Trans World Dome 69,945
Sunday October 29 San Francisco 49ers 24-34 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 73,224
2001 Sunday September 23 San Francisco 49ers 26-30 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 67,536
Sunday December 9 St. Louis Rams 27-14 San Francisco 49ers Dome at America's Center 66,218
2002 Sunday October 6 San Francisco 49ers 37-13 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 67,853
Monday December 30 St. Louis Rams 31-20 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 66,118
2003 Sunday September 14 St. Louis Rams 27-24 OT San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 65,990
Sunday November 2 San Francisco 49ers 30-10 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 67,812
2004 Sunday October 3 San Francisco 49ers 14-24 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 66,696
Sunday December 5 St. Louis Rams 16-6 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 65,793
2005 Sunday September 11 San Francisco 49ers 28-25 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 67,918
Saturday December 24 St. Louis Rams 20-24 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 65,473
2006 Sunday September 17 San Francisco 49ers 20-13 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 67,791
Sunday November 26 St. Louis Rams 20-17 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 65,517
2007 Sunday September 16 St. Louis Rams 16-17 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 65,295
Sunday November 18 San Francisco 49ers 9-13 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 68,039
2008 Sunday November 16 San Francisco 49ers 35-16 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 67,573
Sunday December 21 St. Louis Rams 16-17 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 54,948
2009 Sunday October 4 San Francisco 49ers 35-0 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 69,732
Sunday January 3 St. Louis Rams 6-28 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 47,965

2010s (49ers 7–3–1)

Year Day Date Home Team Result Visiting Team Venue Attendance
2010 Sunday November 14 San Francisco 49ers 23-20 OT St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 69,732
Sunday December 26 St. Louis Rams 25-17 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 52,820
2011 Sunday December 4 San Francisco 49ers 26-0 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 69,732
Sunday January 1 St. Louis Rams 27-34 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 55,990
2012 Sunday November 11 San Francisco 49ers 24-24 OT St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 69,732[6]
Sunday December 2 St. Louis Rams 16-13 OT San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 57,279[7]
2013 Thursday September 26 St. Louis Rams 11-35 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 56,640
Sunday December 1 San Francisco 49ers 23-13 St. Louis Rams Candlestick Park 69,732
2014 Monday October 13 St. Louis Rams 17-31 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 56,851
Sunday November 2 San Francisco 49ers 10-13 St. Louis Rams Levi's Stadium 70,799
2015 Sunday November 1 St. Louis Rams 27-6 San Francisco 49ers Edward Jones Dome 51,207
Sunday January 3, 2016 San Francisco 49ers 19-16 OT St. Louis Rams Levi's Stadium 70,799

See also

References

General

Specific

  1. "Top 10 NFL Rivalries Of All Time". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
  2. Hession (1987) 46
  3. Hession (1987) 49
  4. Hession (1987) 158-161
  5. Craig (2004) 37
  6. "Box score". USA Today.
  7. "Box score". USA Today. April 17, 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, May 03, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.