The Rams head to San Francisco in position to sweep this longtime NFC West rivalry for the first time since 1980.

Six weeks ago at the TWA Dome (Week 5), Rams QB Kurt Warner threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns (1 INT), four of those scores to WR Isaac Bruce, as St. Louis snapped a 17-game losing streak to the 49ers with a resounding 42-20 triumph.

This NFC West series is now tied (49-49-2, including playoffs) and despite this year's earlier loss, the Niners are an imposing 30-8 (including 1-0 in playoffs) vs. the Rams since 1981.

As for the Rams' last appearance at 3Com Park (Week 17 of '98), 49ers QB Steve Young threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran 16 yards for another score, as San Francisco rolled to a 38-19 victory.

The Rams have dropped eight straight at San Francisco dating back to 1991, their last win at 3Com Park a 28-17 upset triumph in 1990 over the then-undefeated (10-0) and two-time defending Super Bowl champion 49ers.

Numbers: Rams QB Kurt Warner has thrown 26 touchdown passes and just six interceptions in nine games in '99 while three 49ers quarterbacks (Steve Young, Jeff Garcia and Steve Stenstrom) have combined for six TD passes and 12 interceptions in nine games this season. Warner has thrown 26 TD passes in '99, while the other 11 quarterbacks for the other four teams in the NFC West who have thrown a pass this season--Atlanta's Chris Chandler (6), Tony Graziani (2) and Danny Kanell (2), Carolina's Steve Beuerlein (14) and Steve Bono (0), New Orleans' Billy Joe Hobert (6), Billy Joe Tolliver (5) and Danny Wuerffel (0) and San Francisco's Steve Young (3), Jeff Garcia (3) and Steve Stenstrom (0)--have combined to throw just 41 TD passes. In '98, since-departed Rams' QBs Tony Banks and Steve Bono combined to throw just 12 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions in 16 games in '98 (4-12). Warner has thrown three or more touchdown passes in 7-of-9 contests in '99. Warner has thrown two or more touchdown passes in four straight games and 8-of-9 contests in '99.

In 9 games in '99, Rams RB Marshall Faulk has rushed for 680 yards and three touchdowns, plus caught 49 passes for 529 yards and 2 touchdowns; worth noting is that the only player in NFL history to total 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season was San Francisco 49ers' RB Roger Craig in 1985. In his last 25 games dating back to last season (16 with Colts in '98, 9 with Rams in '99), Faulk has gained 3,436 yards from scrimmage and scored 15 touchdowns, rushing for 1,999 yards and 9 touchdowns, plus catching 135 passes for 1,437 yards and 6 touchdowns. In their first 9 games in '99 (7-2), the Rams have outscored the opposition a combined 82-37 (plus-45) in the first quarter. In 16 games in '98 (4-12), the Rams were outscored a combined 116-37 (minus-79) in the first quarter. They have allowed 10 sacks in seven wins, 10 sacks in 2 losses in '99. The Rams have forced 16 turnovers in seven wins, 0 takeaways in two losses in '99. They have scored 368 points in 11 wins, 217 points in 14 losses dating back to '98. WR Isaac Bruce has scored at least one touchdown in 7-of-9 contests in '99.

The 49ers have not scored an offensive touchdown in three straight games and a total of 12 consecutive quarters. In their last five games (0-5), the 49ers' offense has scored two touchdowns, while their defensive unit has scored four touchdowns. The 49ers have committed two turnovers in three wins, 16 turnovers in six losses in '99. The 49ers have been outscored a combined 69-6 in the third quarter in nine games in '99. They have been limited to 16 or fewer points in three straight games, and have allowed 140 or more yards rushing in three straight games.

Things to look for: It was the 49ers' first loss to St. Louis this season that started the Bay Area's perennial powerhouse on its current downslide, and Dick Vermeil's team would love nothing better than to start their own winning streak in this series as his club closes in on a division title. Still, the Rams struggled in their last two road tilts vs. the Titans and Lions, and Steve Mariucci's club will make them earn a victory.

Etc.: The Rams have posted nine straight losing seasons dating back to 1990, and with a victory will be ensured of their first non-losing season since 1989, when they finished 11-5. San Francisco has won 10 or more games the last 16 seasons (1983-98) and one more loss would ensure that for the first time since 1982 (and the first time in a non-strike season since 1980) that the 49ers will not win at least 10 games in a season. The 49ers are 3-6 for the first time since the strike-shortened season of 1982, when they finished 3-6 and missed the playoffs under since-departed head coach Bill Walsh. The 49ers are 3-6 in a non-strike season for the first time since 1980, when they opened 3-8 and finished 6-10 under Walsh. They have lost five straight games for the first time since 1980, when they dropped 8 straight games. The Rams are just 19-47 vs. divisional competition since 1990, but 4-0 vs. NFC West rivals in 1999. Including playoffs, the 49ers are 50-17 vs. NFC West foes since 1990 (1-3 in '99). The 49ers have not been shutout in an NFL-record 347 consecutive games. WR Jerry Rice (17,939), already the NFL's all-time leader in receiving yardage, needs 61 yards to reach 18,000 receiving yards. Rice has caught at least one pass in an NFL-record 202 straight games