Both the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams turned the page extremely quickly from their Week 18 matchup that had no meaning beyond the Rams locking up the sixth seed in the NFC with a comeback win.

Both teams rested starters with their overriding aim being to protect against injury.

That goal wasn't fully achieved by San Francisco, with defensive end Clelin Ferrell suffering a knee injury that will keep him out for "at least one" playoff game, one which could serve as a reunion with the Rams, who face the three seed Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday.

Shanahan, while delighted the 49ers were able to get the one seed and the first-round bye, cares little about the seeding beyond that and knows there is a very good chance the Rams could be back at Levi's Stadium next weekend with their starters on the field.

Asked in his Tuesday conference call about that matchup and the seven seed Green Bay Packers' game with the two seed, as well as the presumption the 49ers will face the winner of the meeting between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, Shanahan replied: "Six and seven this year, has just as good of chance as one through five. 

"So there’s no difference to me in any of the seeds and the teams. I believe every one of them have a real good chance, especially the ones you mentioned.”

If the Rams do face the 49ers in the Divisional Round, then last Sunday's result at least means San Francisco's coaches and players won't have talk of a streak hanging over them.

Prior to Sunday, the 49ers had won their last nine regular-season meetings with the Rams. Their dominance of the rivalry in recent years is well-documented, but it did not do the Niners any favors in the 2021 NFC Championship Game, when the Niners had won six regular-season games in a row against the Rams but blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to suffer a crushing defeat.

A 10th straight win last weekend would have made no difference to the 49ers' preparations for a potential rematch with the Rams, but the defeat removed an unhelpful narrative from the equation.

There will now be no talk of that run to motivate the Rams and the Niners, knowing how dangerous Matthew Stafford and Co. can be, can prepare to take and hopefully absorb their best shot without having to answer questions about their streak.

It may be a stretch to say such chatter had any impact on their previous playoff encounter, but the lack of it this time around could prove to be a blessing if the 49ers play their NFC West rivals for a third time this season.

49ers could replace Jason Verrett with another former Charger

He worked out on Tuesday.