49ers' first divisional game of the season looking significantly less challenging after news around key rivals

The San Francisco 49ers won't be thinking about their meeting with the Los Angeles Rams until Monday at the earliest.

But their latest trip to SoFi Stadium in Week 3 appears to have gotten a little bit easier following injury news concerning several members of the Los Angeles offense.

Wide receiver Puka Nacua , center Steve Avila and left tackle Joe Noteboom were all placed on injured reserve this week.

Nacua suffered a PCL sprain in the second quarter of the Rams' overtime defeat to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He briefly returned before leaving the game for good.

Avila sustained an MCL injury, while Noteboom left the game in Detroit with an ankle problem.

They will all be eligible to return after four games, meaning they will each miss the latest edition of a rivalry the 49ers have dominated.

San Francisco has won its last five road regular-season games against Los Angeles, including the four the two teams have contested at SoFi. The 49ers' nine-game regular-season winning streak against the Rams was broken in Week 18 last season, when Los Angeles prevailed 21-20 in a game where both teams rested starters.

Nacua was a thorn in the 49ers' side last year, making 19 receptions for 188 yards and a touchdown across the two games, his performance in Week 18 seeing him set rookie records for receptions in a season (105) and yards in a season (1,486).

Without him, the Rams figure to be easier to defend, and the 49ers should be confident of finding success against an injury-riddled O-Line that allowed 23 pressures in Week 1, per Pro Football Focus.

Kyle Shanahan and the Niners certainly won't take the Rams lightly on account of a few injuries, but right now the stars appear to be aligning for San Francisco to continue its domination at SoFi.

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