MELBOURNE, Australia — Jet snag.
Whether it was the Rams’ travel plans – the much-discussed decision to arrive in Melbourne the day before the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia – or Coach Sean McVay’s insistence to not play his starters during the preseason, the Super Bowl favorites didn’t appear up to snuff, nor on a victorious wavelength in their season opener.
There were snags, first-game blunders Down Under to grapple with as the Rams attempted to start their season on a high on Friday (Thursday night PT) at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Instead, in a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in front of a sellout crowd of 100,021, the Rams will be forced to reassess and regroup with 10 days until their Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants on Sept. 21.
The Rams turned the ball over three times, and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who missed much of training camp with aches, was close to non-existent in his Rams’ debut. Not one tackle. Not one pressure. The 49ers outgained the Rams 379-288.
And Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford never really looked comfortable. The reigning league MVP completed just 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards with one interception.
In the first half, Stafford was 4 for 11 for 65 yards – much of that coming on a 45-yard first-quarter completion to wide receiver Puka Nacua (four catches, 69 yards). Later in the drive, at the start of the second quarter, running back Kyren Williams punched the ball in from 5 yards for a touchdown and a 7-3 lead.
Other than Williams’ touchdown run, the 49ers controlled both phases of the game. The Rams converted just one of their five third-down attempts in the first half and finished the game 2 for 9 on third down. The 49ers went 7 for 12 on third downs.
It wasn’t pretty early, on both ends.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy – whom the Rams’ pass rush flustered during the first half – misread the defense, instead lofting a pass over the middle of the field into the arms of Rams safety Quentin Lake for an interception.
That was the Rams’ only chance to extend to a two-score lead and create some breathing room before halftime.
On the following drive, however, early in the second quarter, Stafford tried to find Nacua for a deep ball of his own on a flag route – instead overthrowing the ball for an interception courtesy of 49ers cornerback Renardo Green.
San Francisco took advantage, driving 86 yards and striking for a 39-yard touchdown pass from Purdy – who was up against a Desjuan Johnson and Braden Fiske second-string pass rush – to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter to take a 10-7 lead.
Purdy finished with 205 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
It was those errors and lapses in judgment that sent the Rams tumbling to a lopsided loss to begin a season in which they are the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl. They fell behind by two scores early in the second half. A 45-yard kick return from veteran wideout Deebo Samuel sparked a drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown catch by fellow veteran Mike Evans over new Rams cornerback Jaylen Watson moments later.
Trailing 17-7, the Rams did fight back. On the next drive, Stafford completed five passes during a 7-plus-minute drive. Nacua was ruled down at the 1-yard line following a catch, and McVay called for a QB sneak on fourth down.
Stafford burrowed his way through his offensive line, hoping to record his first rushing touchdown since 2022.
It wasn’t enough.
The 49ers’ defensive front kept Stafford from extending across the goal line, and after a review for confirmation, the Rams handed the ball to their NFC West rivals with a turnover on downs.
Blowout losses weren’t in the Rams’ DNA a season ago – they hadn’t lost a game by more than seven points since November 2024.
Now, one game in with an off-kilter outing in Melbourne – an International nightmare of a performance in Week 1 – it’s already in their bloodstream.
More to come on this story.