The offseason buzz around the Rams only grew louder. Los Angeles added former Kansas City corners Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to tighten up its pass defense, then dealt Jared Verse plus a first-, second- and third-round pick to land Myles Garrett. Garrett arrived as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and was expected to rush a pass led by Matthew Stafford, last season’s MVP, for a team that came within four points of the NFC title.
That buildup put the Rams atop DraftKings’ Super Bowl odds at +500, with the defending-champion Seahawks next in the NFC West (11-1), while the 49ers were listed much further back at 19-1 — more than a handful of teams were deemed likelier to reach the Super Bowl. Then the season’s opening weekend — and the first regular-season NFL game in Australia — flipped expectations.
In Melbourne, San Francisco dismantled Los Angeles 27-7. Yes, it’s one game early in the schedule, but the manner of the victory exposed problems for the Rams and showcased a 49ers roster that should worry the rest of the league.
San Francisco absorbed its own preseason concerns — head coach Kyle Shanahan missed parts of training camp after a car crash that caused a concussion, and the team suffered multiple injuries in camp — including rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling being carted off with an ankle issue in the second quarter. Still, veteran pass-catchers stepped up: 33-year-old Mike Evans, 31-year-old Demarcus Robinson and 30-year-old Deebo Samuel Sr. each found the end zone on passes from Brock Purdy.
The Rams’ much-heralded defensive overhaul didn’t create havoc; instead it allowed the 49ers to control the clock and the game. Purdy finished with 205 passing yards and added 29 yards on the ground, repeatedly converting in key moments. He delivered a 39-yard touchdown to Robinson, hit a back-shoulder fade to Evans, and scrambled and extended drives when the pocket collapsed. Shanahan praised Purdy’s throws, throws out of structure and overall command of the offense, calling the quarterback’s day “unbelievable.”
Los Angeles coach Sean McVay conceded that San Francisco outplayed his team across the board, calling the loss humbling and saying he would start the fixes with himself. The 49ers’ defense — with staples like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa back on the field and playmakers such as Renardo Green recording an interception — stifled Stafford. The team held Los Angeles to seven points, the fewest Stafford has scored in any of his 85 games as a Ram (regular season and playoffs). For context, the next-lowest total by LA in the Stafford era was nine points, also in a loss to the 49ers in 2022.
There are reasons to think the Rams can improve: Garrett appeared limited by a knee issue in this opener and didn’t record any tackles, hits or sacks, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald — who returned from retirement — wasn’t active Week 1. But the bigger question now is how good the 49ers can be. Purdy has steadily grown since taking over in 2022, posting one of the highest passer ratings among active starting quarterbacks (behind only Lamar Jackson), and he showed both accuracy and mobility in the season opener. When pushed deep into their own end, San Francisco engineered a 99-yard drive that underlined their poise; later Purdy escaped the pocket and found Samuel for a score that sealed the win.
Stafford and the Rams pulled starters in the fourth as the deficit became too large to overcome. “We just weren’t good enough in that window,” McVay said, acknowledging the team’s shortcomings.
With most teams still to play this week, the 2026 storylines are only beginning to form. But Friday’s game in Melbourne reminded the league that under Shanahan the 49ers remain a complete program — offensive creativity, a reinvigorated defense and veterans who can still make big plays. If they stay healthy, San Francisco could be a deeper threat than many oddsmakers expected.
Fan Take: This result matters because it upends early preseason narratives — a supposed Super Bowl favorite was thoroughly beaten by a team many had written off — and signals that the NFC West could be even more competitive than expected. For NFL fans, it’s an early reminder that offseason spending and headlines don’t guarantee immediate success, and that coaching, health and quarterback play can still swing the balance of power quickly.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
