The hype continued to ratchet by way of the offseason.
The Los Angeles Rams corralled former Kansas Metropolis Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to stem opponents’ passing video games, then traded edge rusher Jared Verse and a first-, second-, third-round decide every t.
Garrett, the reigning Defensive Participant of the 12 months, would crew up with quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP.
This, for a crew that misplaced the NFC championship final season by simply 4 factors.
So sure, the Rams held the perfect odds to win the Tremendous Bowl, at +500, per DraftKings. Subsequent within the NFC West got here the reigning Tremendous Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, their 11-1 odds fourth within the league.
Proceed down the checklist lengthy sufficient, and followers would discover the San Francisco 49ers’ 19-1 odds. Eleven groups had been thought-about higher locks to succeed in the most important stage.
Then Thursday occurred. Or Friday, on the sport’s website of Melbourne, Australia.
The San Francisco 49ers, that crew to date down the betting checklist they in all probability warrant a scroll, g.
Certain, it’s one sport within the first week of the season and the first-ever NFL sport in Australia.
However the Rams’ cracks are actually evident. And the 49ers’ quiet however highly effective energy ought to scare the remainder of the league.
Irrespective of that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan missed components of early coaching camp as a result of a automobile accident that brought about a concussion or that studies from the 49ers coaching camp appeared to drift sufficient accidents to go away electrical substation jokes tough to disregard.
Irrespective of that the 33rd total decide of the 2026 NFL Draft, receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, r.
How about 33-year-old Mike Evans, 31-year-old Demarcus Robinson and 30-year-old Deebo Samuel scoring the 49ers’ trio of touchdowns from quarterback Brock Purdy?
The Rams’ protection that was assembled to instill concern as an alternative instilled confidence within the 49ers as they dominated the time of possession.
“The protection was giving us our ones and twos within the development,” Purdy mentioned after carving up the Rams for 205 yards passing and one other 29 yards speeding. “So I used to be simply attempting to take that. After which clearly when it wasn’t there, I believe that was the time of the sport the place I began utilizing my legs just a little bit and the blokes did a fantastic job on the scramble drill. ….
“Kyle was doing a fantastic job with dialing up the appropriate play calls.”
The lore of Shanahan exploiting schematic weaknesses from Rams head coach Sean McVay way more typically than the remainder of the NFL will proceed. McVay gave credit score the place credit score was due.
“They outplayed us in each side,” he mentioned postgame. “I didn’t do almost a ok job. It is a humbling day for us. This can outline us provided that we enable it to. …
“The very first thing I’m gonna have a look at is myself.”
Sean McVay after loss to 49ers: ‘Sports activities can humble you’
Maybe the 49ers’ offense entered this season with some respect.
Shanahan will at all times trigger issues for opponents, and the 49ers have ranked prime 10 in offense every of the final 5 seasons.
Their core may very well be knocked for its age — add 32-year-old tight finish George Kittle and 38-year-old left deal with Trent Williams to the Professional Bowlers north of 30 on their roster — and questioned for its well being observe file, which isn’t unrelated to its age.
However few questioned whether or not a core with these gamers, Purdy and Christian McCaffrey might compete if wholesome.
Their protection, in the meantime, struggled final 12 months. And it was simple to wonder if that fall from the eighth-ranked unit in 2024 to the 20th-ranked in 2025 is likely to be an indication of age relatively than only a actually dangerous damage streak for gamers like linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa.
Then Warner, Bosa and a bunch of teammates, together with Renardo Inexperienced with an interception within the sport, confronted the Rams.
The 49ers denied Matthew Stafford a landing after he scored one in each single sport final season.
The 49ers held the Rams to 7 factors, the worst output of Stafford’s 85 video games as a Ram, common season and playoffs included.
The second-fewest factors Los Angeles had scored within the Stafford period: 9, in 2022. The opponent in that 24-9 loss: the 49ers.
“Generally sports activities can humble you and as we speak was a kind of days,” McVay mentioned. “I make no excuses. Whether or not you wish to say it’s about journey, no matter, we simply weren’t ok in that window. …
“They deserve the win.”
In opposition to reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, Brock Purdy flashed
The Rams might completely rebound as edge rusher Myles Garrett regains well being from an s; defensive deal with Aaron Donald, again from retirement however lacking Week 1, ought to provide reinforcements, too.
However whether or not or not the Rams settle in, the query will linger: How good can this 49ers crew be?
There’s motive to imagine that the Niners’ Australia efficiency was not a fluke.
Since his 2022 arrival, Purdy has quietly (or not quietly, given the debates that swirl) posted a greater passer score than each energetic NFL starter however the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson. His effectivity and confidence executing Shanahan’s anticipatory throwing system continues to develop.
His season-opening efficiency mirrored his vary.
Purdy aired out a wonderfully timed 39-yard landing move to Demarcus Robinson within the second quarter and nailed the location on a back-shoulder fade to Mike Evans for a landing within the third. When the 49ers’ protection stopped the Rams on fourth-and-goal, giving their offense the ball but in addition a 99-yard discipline earlier than them, Purdy didn’t flinch. He hit a 14-yard move to get the Niners out of backed-up hassle, later scrambling for 18 yards to choose up a primary down and a heaping of momentum.
Dealing with second-and-8 from the Rams’ 15-yard line with 13:04 to play within the fourth quarter, Purdy stayed affected person earlier than fleeing the pocket to his proper and hit Deebo Samuel behind two Rams defenders for his third rating.
“I assumed Brock performed so properly,” Shanahan mentioned. “He had one play I do know he needs to take again, the interception of [Quentin] Lake, however he made some big-time performs and big-time throws. The 99-yard drive, there have been so many performs there that he needed to take off schedule the place there wasn't a solution and he moved the chains along with his legs….
“Brock was unbelievable as we speak.”
The Rams, in the meantime, pulled Stafford and starters forward of their remaining drive because the double-digit hole loomed insurmountably.
“I believe when the ball was kicked off, we had been able to go play,” Stafford mentioned. “We simply didn’t do it at a excessive sufficient clip as we speak.”
Twenty-eight extra groups will play earlier than the week ends, the storylines of the 2026 NFL season solely starting to form.
However the 49ers reminded the NFL this week that their expertise and training workers threaten their fellow division mates and Tremendous Bowl darlings: the Rams and the Seahawks.
The crew that’s superior to 4 convention championships and two Tremendous Bowls underneath Shanahan might have well being, however the 49ers in any other case might have the items to threaten their deepest run but.
“Division video games, for me, they at all times depend as two,” linebacker Fred Warner informed SportsCenter’s Scott Van Pelt postgame. “No matter what the headlines say for the way individuals really feel about their crew or any of the divisional opponents, these division video games imply so much for after we get right down to the top. Profitable the division, that's at all times our No. 1 purpose: attending to the playoffs, successful our division. So I'm simply so comfortable then that we're 1-0. It was a protracted week, but it surely was nice. …
“We did precisely what we needed to do.”