A rivalry once dominated by the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams have now won their last three games against Kyle Shanahan’s team, as well as their most recent playoff matchup in 2021. Furthermore, the 49ers fell off in 2024, dropping to 6-11, Shanahan’s second losing season in the past five years. Although McVay suffered his own failures in 2022, the Rams have posted a winning record in 7 of his 8 seasons as the head coach. And the reason why?
Why Sean McVay has out-coached Kyle Shanahan
Posted August 21, 2025
The Rams are investing good resources into the offensive line. The 49ers refuse to adapt.
Sean McVay has changed his offensive line philosophy and the Rams have used a lot of resources there the last couple of years to make it a strength.
Kyle Shanahan continues to ignore the OL because he believes his scheme can work around it and it continues to be a weakness.— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) August 11, 2025
Although the Rams previously took a cheap approach to building the offensive line, Les Snead and McVay have recently traded for Kevin Dotson and paid him, drafted Steve Avila at the top of the second round, and re-signed A.J. Jackson to a three-year contract. And though the move didn’t workout, the Rams also signed Jonah Jackson to a massive contract in 2024, trading him to the Bears when it proved to be a poor fit.
McVay is optimistic that Jackson will return from blood clots sooner than later, but the team has been developing cheap young talent behind the starters like Beaux Limmer, Willie Lampkin, Justin Dedich, Warren McClendon, Dylan McMahon, as well as signing DJ Humphries and David Quessenberry as insurance. Alongside starters Coleman Shelton and Rob Havenstein, one problem that the Rams should not have in 2025 is the offensive line. Because of that, Matthew Stafford might actually survive — and Kyren Williams could thrive — if the quarterback’s back gets out of its own way.
Both coaches are atop the game for offensive philosophy and execution, but McVay has more to show for it.
Went on TruMedia and put together a few graphs that encapsulate MY core factors for QB play: In Structure, Out of Structure, Under Duress, and Key Situations.
2 big takeaways: clear data proving there’s a Big 4, and it captures why the McVay/Shanahan system is king. pic.twitter.com/fDudoEnv3s— Diante Lee (@DianteLeeFB) August 9, 2025
Not only does McVay have a superior record (80-52 compared to 70-62), he has won a Super Bowl and been to another, each time with a different quarterback and different offensive stars.
McVay has pivoted. Shanahan hasn’t seemed as willing to adapt.
The 49ers enter 2025 with a Stafford-esque 37-year-old left tackle and Trent Williams is obviously the one true star of the offensive line. LG Ben Bartch, C Jake Brendel, RG Dominick Puni, and RT Colton McKivitz round out the starting unit. The 49ers used one draft pick on an offensive lineman this year, seventh round guard Connor Colby.
The Rams also set to spend about $30 million more in cap space on the offensive line over the next two seasons compared to the 49ers. Will that investment pay off?
The first head-to-head test this season will happen on Thursday Night Football in Week 5 when the Rams host the 49ers at SoFi Stadium. The Rams have won three games in a row in the series for the first time since winning six in a row from 1999-2001.
Another sweep in 2025, the Rams could be close to their longest winning streak against the 49ers since the 1970s!
Yes, Sean McVay is one reason for it, as is Matthew Stafford. But there’s a bigger reason. Literally bigger. How much McVay and Snead have been willing to adapt when it comes to focusing on the offensive line.
