Can Sean McVay Turn up the Heat on Kyle Shanahan's Tenure in San Francisco?

Will Rams coach Sean McVay deliver a gut punch victory on Monday Night Football over Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers?

Rams coach Sean McVay and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan have deep ties with one another dating back to their early coaching days.

While McVay and the Rams have pushed their chips in the middle of the table, their production on the field has continued to progress under new quarterback Matthew Stafford. Meanwhile, Shanahan has plateaued throughout the last two seasons, indicating his tenure in San Francisco could be put in jeopardy if things don't shape up down the stretch of this season.

Shanahan, who was once regarded among the top offensive minds in the game alongside McVay, Sean Payton and Andy Reid to name a few, has unequivocally declined ever since he and the 49ers reached Super Bowl LIV and fell short to the Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium.

In Shanahan's five years as coach of the 49ers, he holds a 32-40 record. He's lost double-digit games in three of the past four seasons, and arguably the most eye popping figure – in the last two years, the 49ers have won just one home game. 

The 49ers allowed Shanahan and general manager John Lynch to go all-in on a rookie quarterback this offseason, mortgaging the future in trading away a bevy of draft picks to move up in the draft to select Trey Lance. The move came after the 49ers struck out on acquiring Stafford as the Rams came away with the veteran passer. 

As the 49ers sit in disarray, McVay and the Rams are in a position to take advantage of the 49ers' recent shortcomings as L.A. attempts to stay afloat in the NFC West standings and presumably make ground on catching the Cardinals.

Shanahan and the 49ers got off to a 2-0 start to begin the year. Since then, they've dropped five of the last six contests. 

For an offensive mastermind that Shanahan was given the label of, his offense has been subpar at best. The 49ers sit 13th in offensive yards per game, and ultimately the creative game-planning that Shanahan has shown in years prior, has all of a sudden disappeared.

The pressure is on for the Rams' division rival to produce. After the 49ers were one of the main talking points this offseason – selecting Lance, signing left tackle Trent Williams to a mega-contract extension – the expectations exponentially grew to a much higher level than how San Francisco has delivered thus far in 2021.

With talent up and down the roster, Shanahan and the rest of the coaching staff shoulders the bulk of the blame. 

McVay, who holds strong job security with the Rams, does however enter this week's primetime showing against the 49ers with a jolt of urgency. The Rams are coming off a loss, and securing a win as they head into their bye week, without doubt, positions them better to chase down the Cardinals down the home stretch of the season.

While in theory, the seat could perhaps be heating up for Shanahan, McVay and the Rams are ultimately in position to turn up the heat with a win at Levi's Stadium during a standalone showing.

Sports Illustrated's All49ers deputy editor Jose Sanchez says the following regarding Shanahan's current status:

"Shanahan's seat will not see it become a degree hotter until 2023. However, what McVay can do is embarrass Shanahan. He can make this season continue to snowball more than it already has for him and the 49ers. And that is something most should fully expect. The 49ers are abysmal at home. They have not won in front of their home crowd since the last time the Rams were at Levi's Stadium in 2020. Maybe Shanahan can get his guys to actually get up for this game since they are coming off of another laughable loss and will be playing a tough division opponent in primetime. But I wouldn't hold my breath on that. Shanahan has orchestrated this season poorly. He is massively failing the 49ers this season. He has structured the team in a way that makes sustaining success difficult and refuses to develop Trey Lance. This is a game where the Rams should win fairly easily, especially since McVay doesn't have to outwit former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh anymore. A win for the Rams here will just continue to pile on what has been an embarrassing season for the 49ers."

Even with tensions running hot regarding Shanahan, it would take a lot for the team's ownership to take action due to his contract. The 49ers agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension with Shanahan in 2020, indicating there are still significant financial ties.

Shanahan is 0-3 against teams in the NFC West this season. While he's been relatively successful against the Rams in recent meetings, all signs point in favor of L.A. on Monday Night Football.

---

More from Ram Digest:

• SI Power Rankings: Where do the Rams sit in Week 10?
• Sean McVay Provides Update on Matthew Stafford's Ankle
• Rams WR Jacob Harris Suffers Season-Ending ACL and MCL Injury
• 5 Takeaways From the Rams' Week 9 Loss to Titans
• Rams at 49ers Opening Odds: Point Spread, Over/Under, Moneyline
• Cooper Kupp Achieves Milestone Last Set by Jerry Rice
• Rams QB Matthew Stafford, Offensive Line Struggled in Primetime Loss to Titans
• Rams Can't Overcome Titans' Defensive Efforts in Week 9, Falling 28-16
• DeSean Jackson Signing With Raiders Following Release By Rams
• Sean McVay on if He'd Kick the Tires on Odell Beckham Jr.: 'I Would Never Say Never'

Nick Cothrel is the Publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.