49ers display the thunder in Down Under in season opening rout

The San Francisco 49ers did everything correctly to open the 2026 season with a big statement win 7,865 miles away from home.

Brock Purdy threw for three touchdowns and San Francisco's defense only gave up seven points in a 27-7 blowout win over their division rival and pre-season Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams on Friday morning (Thursday afternoon back in the States) at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.

The first ever NFL regular season game Down Under featured two of the best teams in the NFC from last season in what was supposed to be a coronation for the Rams before an announced crowd of 100,021, the seventh largest crowd to ever watch an NFL game.

Instead, San Francisco, who went down to Melbourne a week before the game instead of 36 hours before game time like Rams head coach Sean McVay and his team did in an effort to get used to the 17-hour time change. In that week, the 49ers participated in many community events where they interacted with the Aussie fans. The G, as it's referred to, was flooded with 49ers fans despite it techically being a home game for the Rams. The Faithful from all over the globe represented the scarlett and gold well.

As for the game, many "travel experts" had said the Rams were doing the right thing by flying in a day before the game and that the 49ers were at a disadvantage trying to adapt to its new environment. They could not have been more wrong.

The Niners defense, healthy, with linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa back as well as the return of linebacker Dre Greenlaw, started the game strong giving up only one first down as the Rams were forced to punt during their first two positions in the opening 15 minutes.

Purdy led his team on 15 play 65-yard opening drive that resulted in a 20-yard Eddie Piniero field goal that consumed over seven minutes off the clock. Purdy connected with big splash free agent acquisition Mike Evans three times with each reception resulting in a first down during the drive. The duo looked like they've been playing together for 10 years and not in their first game.

Los Angeles scored the game's opening touchdown on their next drive. The big play on the drive was a 41-yard reception from Matthew Stafford to star receiver Puka Nacua who made a contested catch, then broke a tackle down the sideline to the 49ers eight yard line. Running back Kyren Williams completed the drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown right through the Niners defense.

The Rams kept the momentum rolling in the second quarter when they intercepted Purdy after a poorly thrown ball intended for tight end George Kittle, who made his first appearance in a game since tearing his Achilles heal in the NFC Wild Card game against the Philadephia Eagles almost exactly eight months ago, at their own 31-yard line by Quentin Lake.

Los Angeles was able to get their rush attack going on the ensuing series with 10 and 13-yard runs from backup running back Blake Corum. After an incompletion, which was head scratching since the Rams had the 49ers defense on its heels, Stafford tried for a deep ball down the right sideline to Nacua, but overthrew his intended target and Renardo Green leaped up high to pull in the ball for his first interception of the season.

San Francisco took advantage of the turnover as Purdy marched the offense down the field 86 yards in nine plays cummulating with a deep strike down the middle to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for a 33-yard touchdown reception, his first of the game. It was a great moment for Robinson, the former Rams receiver, who finished the game with two receptiond for 50 yards as the 49ers went into the half with a 10-7 lead.

In the second half it was all 49ers as they kicked it into fifth gear and dominated the final 30 minutes. Deebo Samuel, in his second stint with San Francisco, returned the second half kickoff 45 yards to their own 49-yard line. Purdy then led a methodical seven play 51-yard drive down the field as the Rams defense had no answer. From the three-yard line, Purdy glided the ball to Evans on a corner fade route that only Evans could snatch out of the air for his first touchdown in a 49ers uniform. That play is the exact reason why 49ers GM John Lynch went out and signed the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro-Bowl receiver.

Los Angeles responded with their best drive of the game, as Stafford and company got down to the 49ers one-yard line in 12 plays after starting the drive at their own 27-yard line. On 4th and goal, instead of taking the easy three points to make it a one-score game late in the third quarter, McVay kept his offense on the field. Warner and his teammates came up with the contest's momentum changing play of the game. Stafford tried to tush push into the endzone on a quarterback sneak but Warner stuffed him from the crossing the goal line as Los Angeles turned the ball over on downs.

San Francisco put the game away with Purdy's third touchdown with a 99-yard drive on 11 plays. On 2nd and 8 from the Rams 15-yard line, Purdy rolled out to his right and connected with Samuel in the endzone as Deebo was able to get behind the Rams secondary and the 49ers went up by 17 points and left the Rams with a lot of second guessing on not just the decision making but its logistics as well.

While Purdy and the offense looked well in the season opener, it was San Francisco's defense that shined on the cool crisp Australian morning as they pitched a shutout for all but three seconds of the final three quarters with two turnovers as they made McVay's offense look one-dimensonial in the second half. McVay pulled out and waved the white flag halfway through the fourth quarter as he benched his starters to lick their wounds after being outplayed and outcoached after all the offseason hype surrounding his team from the so-called pundits.

Purdy finished 25-for-34 with 205 yards to go along with his three touchdowns and one interception. It was a good debut for the veteran Evans as he led the 49ers with six receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown. Running back Christian McCaffery and rookie running back Kealon Black provided a balanced rushing attack with 68 and 65 yards respectively as San Francisco outgained Los Angeles 174-122 on the ground.

It was a rough day for Stafford, who did not throw for a touchdown, as he finished 15-for-25 for just 155 yards to go with his interception and a QB rating of 30.7. Nacua led all receivers with five catches for 74 yards. Corum led the Rams in rushing with 54 yards on 10 carries. Wide receiver Davante Adams chipped in with three catches for 26 yards.

The injury bug did hit the 49ers during the game with rookie wide receiver and 2026 second round pick De'Zhaun Stribling left the game with an ankle injury on a non-contact play and tight end Jake Tonges suffered a knee injury that head coach Kyle Shanahan said "did not look good" after the game.

Still, it will be a happy flight back to the South Bay for the 49ers as they come back with 10 days to prepare for its home opener against the Miami Dolphins on September 20th at Levi's Stadium.