As big as Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles was, the Los Angeles Rams will play perhaps their most important game of the season thus far on Thursday night when they host the San Francisco 49ers. It’s their first divisional matchup of the year and with both teams sitting at 3-1, this game could have major playoff implications down the stretch if there’s a tie for the NFC West crown.

The Rams and 49ers don’t like each other one bit, which is part of the reason their games are always physical and intense. Matthew Stafford has gotten a good taste of this rivalry after four years of facing San Francisco as a member of the Rams and he’s ready for another fight on Thursday.

During his weekly appearance on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go!” Monday, Stafford shared his impressions of the banged-up 49ers through four games.

“They’re doing a heck of a job. Had some injuries early in the season, obviously. [Nick] Bosa was a big one. [Brandon] Aiyuk has been dealing with some stuff since the last season. So they’ve overcome a lot. Their starting quarterback was out for a while. …That’s what Shanahan does though. He is a heck of a football coach. I think they’re a really well-rounded football team, always have been. When we play them it’s a bare knuckles physical fight. They’re gonna try to run the ball right at you, play action it over the top, and on defense, they’re gonna line up, know exactly what they’re in and just try to out physical you. So it’s a big challenge for us, but a lot of credit to them because they’ve done a heck of a job with some injuries along the way early on.”

The 49ers are as injured as any team in the league, but that’s not going to make this an easy game for the Rams. San Francisco always brings the heat when facing Los Angeles, no matter which players are healthy or hurt.

It’s the hallmark of Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh’s systems on each side of the ball. The Rams have had trouble with both schemes over the years but riding a three-game winning streak against their division rivals, they’ll try to make it four in a row Thursday night.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Matthew Stafford ready for another ‘bare knuckles physical fight’ with 49ers
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect