National Football League

Why Kyle Shanahan's 49ers have dominated Sean McVay's Rams

Updated Jan. 24, 2022 8:30 p.m. ET

Back in November, the Los Angeles Rams entered San Francisco looking like world-beaters.

They were 7-2 at the time and appeared primed to make a statement against their NFC West rivals, who were stumbling along at 3-5. On top of that, they were set to debut two new stars they'd just added to their roster: Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr.

But when the two teams took the field at Levi's Stadium, it was the 49ers who made the statement.

After intercepting Matthew Stafford on their 7-yard line, the Niners embarked on an 18-play, 93-yard touchdown drive, setting a tone of bone-crunching dominance in what became a 31-10 victory.

After the game, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said of that drive, "I don’t want to say it took their soul away, but it did do something."

Eight weeks later, in the regular season's final week, the 49ers beat the Rams again, this time via a 27-24 overtime thriller.

And while it might be a bit hyperbolic to say the 49ers own the Rams' soul, San Francisco has certainly dominated the series of late, particularly since Kyle Shanahan (49ers) and Sean McVay (Rams) became these teams' head coaches in 2017.

In the 10 matchups of the Shanahan-McVay era, the 49ers have won seven, including six in a row.

Now, as they prepare to meet again Sunday in the NFC Championship Game (6:30 p.m. ET on FOX), the time is ripe to ask: Why are the 49ers dominating their rivals?

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes, whose 15-year career included three seasons with the 49ers, joined Colin Cowherd on Monday's edition of "The Herd" to provide the answer –– and it starts and ends in the backfield.

"[Shanahan] did such a great job of understanding and knowing, ‘We gotta run the football, and if it takes 40 times for us to run the football, that’s exactly what we're going to do,'" Spikes said.

"They did not get discouraged. He talks about it all the time: 'We might only get two, three yards here, but we may lose a yard or two here, but we know eventually if we keep pounding, they will … be able to get those big-yard runs."

Takeo Spikes: Why the 49ers have dominated the Rams

Former linebacker Takeo Spikes joins Colin Cowherd to break down Kyle Shanahan's success against Sean McVay.

Spikes is absolutely right: The 49ers have focused on pounding the ball against L.A.

In their previous five matchups, the 49ers have out-rushed the Rams by an average of 43.4 yards per game. This season, the difference was even more pronounced, as the 49ers gained an average of 87.5 more rushing yards per game than their NFC West rivals.

Part of that is an emphasis on physically dominating up front. Another point of emphasis is that the 49ers have a dual-threat in Deebo Samuel, a receiver with a unique ability to run the ball as well.

In the 49ers' Week 10 win, they outgained the Rams 156-52 on the ground, with Samuel gaining 36 of those yards on just five carries. He also caught five passes for 97 yards.

In Week 18, he carried the ball eight times for 45 yards, caught four passes for 95 yards and even threw a 24-yard touchdown pass.

The ability to run the ball — and to use Samuel creatively in doing so — has helped the 49ers in another area as well: keeping Stafford, Beckham, Cooper Kupp and the rest of the Rams' dangerous offense off the field.

San Francisco has won the possession battle in five of its past six matchups with the Rams, averaging 32.9 minutes of possession per game, compared to L.A.'s 27.9 MPG.

As physical as the 49ers have been on offense, their defense has been frightening as well. In their past four matchups against the Rams, the 49ers have forced nine turnovers while committing only five.

And their pass rush has been a factor, too, particularly Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Samson Ebukam, who have a combined 10.0 sacks in their past three games.

In their two matchups this season, the 49ers recorded seven sacks and 21 quarterback pressures, compared to four sacks and eight pressures for Aaron Donald and the Rams.

"You look at collectively across the board, in particular Arik Armstead," Spikes said. "Since they moved him to that 3 technique, now he's rushing consistently over guards. … This dude has been dominant over the last six weeks. … You can't block him one-on-one."

The 49ers' formula for beating the Rams appears to be keeping a hot rush on Stafford, running the rock, playing physical football and keeping the Rams off the field.

Will McVay & Co. allow that to continue Sunday?