49ers Make Statement Win Over Super Bowl Favorite Rams

With big additions on defense this year, the Los Angeles Rams became Super Bowl favorites before the season ever kicked off.

The San Francisco 49ers had other ideas in a 27–7 victory over the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday. Niners quarterback Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes to wide receivers Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Demarcus Robinson in the win.

“I thought Brock played so well,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters afterward. “Brock was unbelievable today.” 

Purdy went 25–34 for 205 yards and three touchdowns versus a pick as he out-dueled reigning MVP Matthew Stafford. The 49ers shut down Stafford and the rest of the Rams offense, and he went 15–25 for 155 yards and an interception.

Rams star wide receiver Davante Adams didn’t have a catch in the first half, and he finished with three receptions for 26 yards. The Rams running game had positive production with 29 attempts for 122 yards and a touchdown, but Los Angeles played from behind for most of the game.

“I didn’t do a good enough job getting us ready to go,” Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters afterward. “This is a good, humbling day. I have to do a better job for our group collectively.” 

Much has been made of the Rams’ travel plans for the game. The Rams arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday, Australian time. 

“When did they get out here?” Evans asked during the postgame press conference. “I mean you got to get your body time to adjust. I mean obviously whenever the game is scheduled you gotta be ready to play but maybe a few days earlier would have been ideal, but no matter what, we don’t care if they came a week or two weeks earlier.”

Los Angeles led only once, when running back Kyren Williams scored on a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter, 7–3. Purdy answered with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Robinson to cap a nine-play, 86-yard drive, 10–7.

Evans then connected with Purdy in the third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown pass for a 17–7 advantage, and the third touchdown drive put the game on ice. Samuel capped an 11-play, 99-yard drive as he caught a 15-yard pass from Purdy for a 24–7 lead with 12:57 left in the game.

“It was the turning point of the game,” Purdy told reporters afterward.

Purdy stayed upright with no sacks taken, and that was despite the Rams’ upgrade in the defensive trenches with Myles Garrett. The 49ers offensive line held off Garrett, who didn’t even have a quarterback pressure.

“We got to be better, myself especially,” Garrett told reporters afterward.

San Francisco didn’t need running back Christian McCaffrey to shoulder the rushing load, as he had only 10 carries for 68 yards. Rookie and former Indiana national champion Kaelon Black stepped up with 14 carries for 65 yards in his debut.

Defensively, the 49ers had a big game for linebacker Fred Warner with 11 tackles and a pass deflection, and safety Marques Sigle had nine tackles. Defensive end Keion White and cornerback Renardo Green produced turnovers with a fumble recovery and an interception, respectively.

San Francisco’s biggest defensive moment came with a goal line stand that turned away the Rams on the fourth down late in the third quarter. Then, Purdy led the 49ers marching 99 yards to swing the score by 14 points. 

“In my mind, [Purdy’s] always been the best quarterback in the entire league,” Warner told ESPN’s SportsCenter afterward.

While the 49ers walked off winners in a big way, the team dealt with a couple of injuries on offense. Rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling sustained an ankle injury, and tight end Jake Tonges sustained an MCL injury.