The San Francisco 49ers are the betting favorites to win the NFC West in 2025, but the punditry class continues to express skepticism, usually in favor of the Los Angeles Rams. But after winning just 10 games in 2024, the Rams shouldn't be considered a lock atop the division.

As the defending division champion, the Rams will play a more difficult first-place schedule in 2025; they will host Detroit and Houston and travel cross-country to play at Baltimore and Philadelphia. (The Rams lost to both Detroit and Philadelphia last season, while barely eking out two wins against a hobbled San Francisco.)


Meanwhile, the 49ers will play a last-place schedule, and crucially, the Lions, Ravens, and Eagles aren't opponents at all. Unlike 2024, the 49ers are hoping not to play almost all of the season without running back Christian McCaffery and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

So, before factoring in anything else, the strength of schedule eye test points to a tough road for Los Angeles in repeating as division champion. But setting aside strength of schedule, how impressive was Los Angeles's 2024 division win? The short answer is: not very.

Last year, the Rams won the NFC West with an overall record of 10-7. They were the first team to win the division with 10 or fewer wins since the 2016 Seattle Seahawks, who won the NFC West with a 10-5-1 record. Among those 10 wins by the Rams in 2024, eight were decided by less than a touchdown. Oddly enough, the Rams' 18-point win over Minnesota in the Wild Card round was their most impressive margin of victory all season. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 300 yards just twice in 16 regular-season games played, and the team averaged just 21.6 points per game. By comparison, the 6-11 49ers averaged 22.9 points per game and quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 300 or more yards five times.

Injuries, exhaustion, and a steep falloff from the defense really took a toll on the 49ers last year. But as players return to form and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh puts his vicious stamp on that side of the ball, there is no reason to think the 49ers won't bounce back quickly and be highly competitive in the NFC West. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is 10-6 against Rams head coach Sean McVay, and that's after Los Angeles swept the series last year. When he has been able to deploy his playbook fully, Shanahan has proven he can consistently beat McVay.

The Rams are a young and talented team, but they can't even dominate their own stadium, much less the division -- as 49ers fans routinely transform SoFi Stadium into "Levi's South." What the Rams have been able to do is show how quickly a retooling franchise can bounce back; it wasn't that long ago that San Francisco was riding high after a Super Bowl appearance and folks were writing off Los Angeles.


Are the 49ers the best team in the NFC? No. Can they get to 11 wins in 2025 on a last-place schedule? Yes. And such a performance could be enough to snatch back the NFC West crown. Perhaps the oddsmakers are onto something and another divisional shift is afoot this upcoming season.

Written By:

Isaiah Webster


Isaiah Webster is a writer and podcaster based in Washington, D.C. In addition to 49ers commentary, his various work often melds historical context and unconventional ideas.
All articles by Isaiah Webster
@IsaiahWebster
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