49ers Rout Rams 27-7 in NFL's Australia Debut — SkimNews
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- San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 at Melbourne Cricket Ground in the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia, with the 49ers outscoring the Rams 17-0 across a decisive middle stretch after a sloppy first half
- Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay both downplayed the teams' differing travel plans — the 49ers landed in Melbourne on Sept. 4, while the Rams arrived Thursday, played Friday and departed after the game — saying the result came down to execution over 3½ hours
- Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes and the 49ers averaged 5.8 yards per carry on 30 attempts, with players like Mike Evans and George Kittle saying the early arrival let them acclimate and enjoy Melbourne
- The Rams absorbed their worst loss since Week 2 of 2024 and became the first preseason Super Bowl favorite in the past 50 years to lose a season opener by 20 or more points
- Raheem Morris, in his first game as 49ers defensive coordinator, held the Rams to their lowest scoring output in any game Matthew Stafford has started at quarterback
- The announced attendance of 100,021 was the seventh-highest in regular-season NFL history, with Purdy and Shanahan praising Australian fans' singalong tradition during the game
- The NFL has a multiyear agreement to return to Australia with the Seahawks, Eagles and Raiders next in line — the 49ers lack international marketing rights there, limiting future visits
Why it matters: The 49ers' lopsided win provides a real-world data point for the 15-plus-hour flights future teams will face as the NFL expands its international slate. The Rams' historic opener as preseason Super Bowl favorites — losing by 20-plus points, a 50-year first — is an early gut punch to their title hopes. The league's multiyear commitment to Australia, with Seattle, Philadelphia and Las Vegas next in line, signals this Melbourne debut was a proof of concept, not a one-off.
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