![\"TOPSHOT-AMFOOT-AUS-NFL-RAMS-49ERS\"](\"https:\/\/imageio.forbes.com\/specials-images\/imageserve\/6aa42ea480c51d8be708e2fa\/TOPSHOT-AMFOOT-AUS-NFL-RAMS-49ERS\/0x0.jpg?width=960&dpr=1)
<\/picture><\/div>\nTOPSHOT – San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback #13 Brock Purdy (R) runs with the ball during the NFL match between Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on September 11, 2026. (Photo by Martin KEEP \/ AFP via Getty Images) \/ \u2014IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE\u2014<\/span><\/p>\n AFP via Getty Images<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n The Los Angeles Rams came into the 2026 season with more pomp and circumstance than any NFL team in years.<\/p>\n After falling short against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game in January, L.A. shored up the defense with standouts (Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie) and players of the year (Myles Garrett), and even coaxed future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Donald out of retirement.<\/p>\n For a group that went 12-5 last year but was seconds away from the No. 1 seed, the moves seemed to solidify their Super Bowl bonafides. Betting markets installed them as the overwhelming favorite to win it all, and the word \u201csuperteam\u201d was thrown around with regularity.<\/p>\n And somehow, all of it already looks like a house of cards following the team\u2019s embarrassing 27-7 loss to the rival San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not to court too<\/em> much hyperbole. There\u2019s still ample time to turn the season around and even win the Super Bowl following the loss. <\/p>\n There\u2019s also the possibility that Sean McVay\u2019s team simply out-thought itself<\/u><\/a> by arriving in Melbourne, Australia for the game nearly a week after the 49ers did (and a day before kickoff). And while the result for the week one game was poor, if the team winds up no worse for the wear the rest of the season \u2013 and on Monday Night Football next week \u2013 perhaps the early loss was just the cost of doing business.<\/p>\n Regardless of how all of this turns out, though, it doesn\u2019t make the Rams\u2019 task any easier the rest of the way.<\/p>\n If the Rams lose big against a random AFC team in Australia due in part to travel and sleep experimentation, it\u2019s harmful but has limited impact on their road to the NFC\u2019s top seed or the Super Bowl. Here, however, they\u2019re already put behind the eight ball because it was a divisional game.<\/p>\n By losing this \u201chome\u201d game to the Niners, L.A. now has to win on the road to make up that ground and equalize that head-to-head tiebreaker. The Rams are no strangers to winning up at Levi\u2019s Stadium. They beat San Francisco there just last year, in a relatively one-sided 42-26 romp<\/u><\/a>. And also won the previous two games in Santa Clara as well. But big losses create narratives to overcome, especially when favored to win the way Los Angeles was going into this season.<\/p>\n To make matters worse for the Rams, the Seahawks also took care of business on Wednesday night to kick off the season, despite losing Sam Darnold to an injury early in the first quarter. <\/p>\n Much like the Rams, Seattle\u2019s offense sputtered early. But unlike L.A., its defense came through to secure the win against the Patriots despite running a paired-down offense with backup Drew Lock at the helm.<\/p>\n And now that Darnold\u2019s injury appears to be less serious than original thought<\/u><\/a>, the Seahawks hold a one-game lead on the Rams already with the teams potentially poised to battle it out (with the 49ers as well) for the NFC West crown and more this year.<\/p>\n MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 11: Myles Garrett #95 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to the NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n Getty Images<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/section>\n Disrupted sleep or not, one of the most alarming aspects of the Rams\u2019 outing against the 49ers was how little the revamped defense was able to stop the 49ers\u2019 offensive attack.<\/p>\n For a team that spent the offseason improving the defensive side of the ball, it was glaring how little resistance they had for a San Francisco group that was missing key players to start, and even lost a couple over the course of the game (with injuries to both De\u2019Zhaun Stribling and Jake Tonges).<\/p>\n L.A. had just one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits while allowing 5.8 yards per carry to a combination of Christian McCaffrey, Keaton Black, QB Brock Purdy and Deebo Samuel. Coming off winning last year\u2019s defensive player of the year award and setting the single-season sack record, Garrett failed to record a single defensive stat despite playing 40 snaps (out of 64).<\/p>\n On the other side of the ball, the Rams had less than 300 yards of total offense, Matthew Stafford was not overly accurate (15-of-25) and he was constantly under siege with eight QB hits. The run game, while effective at times in the first half mostly behind Blake Corum, was not a major factor. <\/p>\n<\/section>\nDivisional Context<\/h2>\n
Larger Alarm Bells<\/h2>\n
Superteam Pressure<\/h2>\n