49ers beat Rams in first NFL game in Australia
· Yahoo Sports
The San Francisco 49ers opened their NFL season with a surprisingly comfortable 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the league's first game in Australia.
In front of more than 100,000 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy clearly got the better of reigning MVP Matthew Stafford.
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Purdy threw three touchdown passes, while Stafford failed to throw for a score.
Rams star receiver Puka Nacua finished with five catches for 74 yards.
Los Angeles' highly rated defence, featuring new signing Myles Garrett, struggled to make an impact.
Returning star Aaron Donald, who had announced a spectacular comeback after more than two years away from the game, did not travel to Australia.
The Rams had opted for an unusually late arrival and only reached Melbourne the day before the game. San Francisco took a different approach and had already been in Australia for more than a week.
"I make no excuses and, you know, whether you want to say it's about travel, whatever, we just weren't good enough in that window," Rams coach Sean McVay said.
"I didn't coach good enough, and we'll look at it and we'll move forward, and that's where we're at right now. But it was a great atmosphere. Give credit to the 49ers."