The Los Angeles Rams arrived in Australia just about 24 hours before kickoff of their international Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers arrived in Melbourne a week before the game, getting acclimated to the drastic time change. San Francisco looked far sharper than the Rams in Thursday night's clash, coming out on top with a lopsided 27-7 final score.
Reigning league MVP Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles offense looked far worse than the league-leading unit that dominated the NFL in 2025. The Rams' travel plan sparked criticism from the NFL world leading up to Thursday's game. And after this result, the criticism continued to roll in.
Smith called out the Rams' "mistake" during Friday morning's episode of "First Take" on ESPN. "You got there 28 hours before the game," Smith said. "Clearly, that appeared to be a mistake." 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy finished the season-opening victory with 205 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception — connecting with Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson in the end zone.
Stafford finished the game with a lackluster 155 yards and one interception. The Rams will look to bounce back in their Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants next Monday.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
