49ers Pile on Rams in NFL's Historic Melbourne Debut — SkimNews
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- Melbourne Cricket Ground hosts the first NFL regular season game in Oceania, with the 49ers facing the Rams in the 2026 season's opening Thursday Night Football contest, a day after the league's regular season opener.
- Brock Purdy threw his third touchdown of the game, finding Deebo Samuel as the 49ers piled on points against Los Angeles.
- Los Angeles Rams entered the season as heavy Super Bowl favorites after an off-season trade for Myles Garrett, the league's top pass rusher, and the return of defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who had announced his retirement after the 2024 season.
- San Francisco 49ers split their pair of matchups with the Rams last season and could take an early jump in the divisional standings with a win in Melbourne.
Why it matters: The game marks the NFL's first regular season presence in Oceania, expanding the league's international footprint beyond its established London and Munich series. For the Rams, the early-season test in a foreign venue tests a roster built around Myles Garrett and a returning Aaron Donald against a 49ers team that split with them last year.
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