There is no equation that will spit out a precise answer defining how much more significant playoff wins are compared to regular-season wins.
But, if the Rams beat the 49ers on Sunday, then the answer universally will be known as: at least six times more meaningful. Because the 49ers’ six straight victories in the rivalry will mean squat if they can’t increase that number to seven, and thus prevent the Rams from prevailing in the NFC Championship game.
“They had our number the past couple of times,” Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald said. “I feel like there’s no better stage than this.”
The 49ers have swept the regular-season series in each of the past three seasons, including four one-score wins among the six games. The most recent, in Week 18 earlier this month, included a 17-point comeback and overtime. Without that rally, the 49ers would have been replaced by the Saints in the playoffs, and their magical ride to road upsets over the Cowboys and the NFC’s top-seeded Packers wouldn’t have happened.
“This whole season actually means nothing unless we get this win,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said.
This game will be the 24th time in the Super Bowl era that a team will be facing another in the playoff after sweeping that team in two regular-season meetings. History favors the 49ers — the winner of the first two rounds is 14-9 in Round 3 — but just last season the Buccaneers reversed fortunes on the Saints en route to the Super Bowl. The only time (in three all-time occurrences) that a team with a winning streak of at least six continued its success in the playoffs was when the Giants beat the Eagles in 2000.
It is rare for the two-time winner to be an underdog playing on the road, as the 49ers are at SoFi Stadium. The Rams (2018 season) and 49ers (2019) both are recent Super Bowl losers seeking a second chance.
“The past is the past, honestly,” Donald said. “This is a different type of football here that’s going on this week. This is one game away from the Super Bowl against an opponent that we’re both used to. They’ve beaten us in ways I’m not going to sit here and talk about, but they did. My mindset is there’s no way we’re going to lose this game.
Familiarity between these NFC West rivals goes way back. Rams coach Sean McVay worked under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan when both were offensive assistants under Kyle’s father, Mike, with Washington from 2010-13. McVay took over as play-caller after the Shanahans were fired.
McVay shrugged off the notion that Shanahan might be inside his head — or maybe, more importantly, inside his playbook. On the other side?
“I think that’s kind of silly,” Shanahan said when asked about the mind games. “I think a question like that is just giving Sean and myself way too much credit. Watch what’s going on that field and some of the players out there and the people that are competing. I know he doesn’t feel that way, and he knows I don’t feel that way. I don’t give coaches that much credit.”