The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for a crucial rematch against the Los Angeles Rams after their thrilling overtime victory in Week 5, where the 49ers edged out the Rams despite a stellar performance from quarterback Matthew Stafford. Since that game, the Rams have remained undefeated and are determined to avenge their earlier loss when they visit Levi’s Stadium on October 15, 2023.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recognizes the challenge posed by Stafford, who has continued to excel this season. In 2025, he has thrown for 2,147 yards, achieved 21 touchdowns, and recorded just two interceptions. Shanahan emphasized the need for his defense to limit Stafford’s explosive plays if they want to secure their seventh win of the season.
“It’s definitely a challenge,” Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Matt Maiocco. “It’s not like he just got hot that one game and he’s gotten worse since. I don’t know about stat-wise, but he seems like he gets better and better each week. But I’ve always thought very highly of Matt. He’s one of the best quarterbacks of our generation and a definite Hall of Famer.”
To counter Stafford’s offensive prowess, Shanahan highlighted the importance of pressuring the veteran quarterback. “You’ve got to get to him, you’ve got to affect him,” he said. “One of the things that we can hopefully do better than we did last game is stopping those big plays. We gave him a bunch of huge chunk plays. We need to make him work for everything. He can pick you apart, but if he gets those big ones, you can die pretty fast.”
Shanahan’s strategy focuses on forcing the Rams into difficult situations on third downs. He stated, “If you don’t give up those big plays—yeah, they’re going to move the ball some—but we’ve got to get him to third down, make him earn every one, and then, if you get off the field on third down and without any points, then you’re all right.”
With Brock Purdy sidelined due to a turf toe injury, Mac Jones will make his eighth start of the season for the 49ers. Despite not being on the field, Purdy has played a vital role in preparing the team for this matchup. He has been working alongside backup quarterback Adrian Martinez to simulate Stafford’s playing style during practice sessions as part of the scout team.
When asked about Purdy’s contributions, Shanahan remarked, “You tell him to play at a Hall of Fame level, which sometimes they’re up to. They get the cards, they run their offense, and it’s cool because they have an idea of how those plays are run. We run a lot of very similar plays.”
Shanahan expressed gratitude for having Purdy available for scout team duties, stating, “It’s been awesome having Brock in there. He’s kind of splitting the reps of the scout team with Adrian. Just having two quarterbacks in there, especially Brock, who can make some of these plays, look people off, do some of the things Stafford does, it definitely gets them ready for him.”
Acknowledging the significance of having a player of Purdy’s caliber assist with preparations, Shanahan added with a smile, “No, it’s a hell of a deal for us, so it’s been a good week.”
As the 49ers look to build on their earlier success against the Rams, the collaboration between Purdy and the coaching staff emphasizes the strategic depth that defines their approach to this high-stakes rematch. The game promises to be an exciting showdown, with both teams eager to secure a crucial victory.
