NFC Matchup: Old West rivals meet for Super Bowl berth

By BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

They have gone at each other 145 times. The 49ers have owned the Rams in the past six meetings, and have a 75-67-3 mark against their California rivals. Until Sunday, only one of all those confrontations was in the postseason — the Niners won that one, too, 30-3 in 1989 on the way to the most lopsided Super Bowl victory. Now, San Francisco goes for a three-game sweep of Los Angeles, though the Rams will be at home and favored. Each team comes off last-second victories on field goals, the Niners on the Lambeau Field tundra, the Rams in balmy Tampa against Tom Brady and the Bucs. They know one another so well their coaches probably could swap sides and be comfortable.