Rams Fall Short in Season Opener Against 49ers in Australia

The Los Angeles Rams entered the season with high expectations as potential Super Bowl favorites. Their opening game, however, painted a different picture as they faced a tough 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL International Series match held in Melbourne, Australia.

This game marked the debut of several key players for the Rams, notably Myles Garrett, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Garrett’s performance was underwhelming due to a persisting injury from the offseason. He was in and out of the game and did not significantly impact the scoreboard. On the other hand, new Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie managed to contribute with four tackles and two defended passes. Safety Quentin Lake also made his presence felt with 10 total tackles, including seven solo tackles, and secured an interception.

“This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better,”

Garrett acknowledged after his disappointing performance. Garrett played around 40 snaps but ended the night without registering a statistic in the final box score. Sportsbooks had favored the Rams by at least three points before this matchup, making the outcome even more surprising. This game marked the first time since 2018 that Garrett recorded no quarterback pressures.

San Francisco’s quarterback, Brock Purdy, managed to complete 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns, despite throwing an interception. Garrett himself admitted postgame that he wasn’t at full health due to knee swelling, an issue that kept him out of training camp. This injury influenced his game readiness and focus during the match.

“When I was out there, I was a little bit more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than what they were doing, and that showed. I wasn’t who I needed to be for my team,”

Garrett said, revealing his struggles and the impact of his condition on ESPN.

Compounding the issues for the Rams was the absence of Aaron Donald, another highly anticipated player. Donald did not travel to Australia as he continues preparing for his return to professional football after retiring in March 2024.

Myles Garrett and the Los Angeles Rams will look to improve from this rocky start when they return home for a match against the New York Giants on Monday, September 21.