49ers at Rams Final Score Predictions: Kyle Shanahan will have to earn every penny to one-up his rival Sean McVay

Thursday Night Football has long been reserved for divisional matchups. Sometimes, those are stinkers. But sometimes they feature some of the best rivals in the sport. Thursday night's game falls in the latter category.

Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay are not only two of the league's best and brightest head coaches, but they also have a long history and friendship that dates back to their time in Washington. The two have coached multiple teams to the Super Bowl, but only McVay has the ring on his finger.

In the latest iteration of their matchup, it's going to take one of Shanahan's best coaching jobs as he's down starters all over, while the Rams look poised for another deep playoff run. Here is who our staff is picking to get it done.

Rams vs. 49ers matchup facts

• 49ers are 7-3 against the Rams in the last five years.
• Kyle Shanahan is 10-6 all-time against Sean McVay.
• Sean McVay has the upper hand in the postseason, beating Shanahan's 49ers en route to their championship in 2021.

Rams 30, 49ers 17

The 49ers are just too injured at critical factor positions for me to give them any benefit of the doubt in this one. If it is indeed Mac Jones again, he will have the hardest test of his three-game sample size thus far against Chris Shula and the Rams defense.

Robert Saleh has the boys buzzing on that side of the ball, but no one is hotter than Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua. I believe in that duo more than I do the 49ers defense, and thus, my prediction of a big Rams win.

- Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Pittsburgh

Rams 20, 49ers 16

"NFC West showdowns on a Thursday night are usually glorious messes, just as we saw last week. I expect that to be the case for this game as well. The 49ers are beat up, but I think they’ll hang close. Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh are doing the best with what they have. San Francisco’s defense will keep the team in the game while forcing a couple of turnovers, but its offense will struggle to cash in against a vicious Rams front seven."

- Nick Roesch, A to Z Sports Kansas City

Rams 27, 49ers 17

"Who doesn't love a divisional showdown in prime time? This week two of the top NFC West teams go head-to-head with the Rams hosting the 49ers. I wish both teams were healthy because this game could have had “game of the week” potential. The 49ers are battling multiple key injuries across their roster so you'd think this should be a walk in the park for the Rams."

"I personally refuse to think that way due to crazy things happening during divisional matchups every year. As long as Brock Purdy is out there, I think the 49ers have a shot to pull off the upset. The uncertainty around Purdy’s status for this game is too much for me to pick them though. So I’ll stick with the favorites (Rams) to pull out a hard fought win in Week 5."

- Destin Adams, A to Z Sports Indianapolis

Rams 27, 49ers 17

"The Rams have managed to swing the tide of the Sean McVay vs. Kyle Shanahan rivalry in recent years. I suspect we'll see more of the same on Thursday night. Los Angeles is the more well-rounded team, they're playing at home and they're healthier. San Francisco's got moving parts in and out of the lineup each and every week due to bumps and bruises and major injuries — it's showing up."

"Having four turnovers is bad enough but in failing to rush for 85 yards as a team for the third consecutive week, the 49ers formula is fading while the Rams appear to be catching their stride. The late game magic from Matt Stafford against the Colts is big-league stuff — and Indy has more challenging personnel matchups than this 49ers team."

- Kyle Crabbs, A to Z Sports

Rams 27, 49ers 21

"The Jaguars game on Sunday showed how the 49ers' defense falls to a different and inferior level without Nick Bosa. Beyond the lack of explosive pass rush per se, Robert Saleh is forced to send more bodies to create havoc, and that leaves the unit more susceptible to run plays. Travis Etienne rushed for 124 yards, 6.5 per play. The Rams have the horses to exploit those issues, and even more than the Jaguars in the passing game."

"On offense, the 49ers are also handling so many injuries. Ultimately, it's hard to overcome those in a game that should be hard even with both rosters fully healthy. It's a monster game with big implications in the NFC West, and Sean McVay has had undeniable success in these ones. Therefore, I expect a strong performance from Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams, and I'm not sure the 49ers will have the capability of keeping up with that level of offense."

- Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Sports Green Bay

Rams 27, 49ers 19

"The Rams and 49ers both sit at 3-1, but I’d fancy to see these two teams feel a bit different right now. LA is coming off a close victory over the Colts, while SF got taken out by the Jaguars in Week 4. The injury list for the 49ers is massive, while the bulk of the top talent for the Rams is currently healthy - to a point, at least."

"I feel like a banged up 49ers secondary struggles against the Rams pass catchers, and the LA defensive line makes enough plays to keep Brock Purdy (or Mac Jones) plenty uncomfortable. These NFC West matchups are always closer than you’d expect, but feels like Los Angeles will control this one."

- Adam Holt, A to Z Sports

Final Takeaways

Our staff is all aboard the Rams train for Thursday night. The amount of injuries just feels too daunting for the 49ers to overcome against one of the best teams in the league. But it is a Thursday night, and it is a division matchup, so anything can happen.