The Los Angeles Rams finished the offseason as winners, following the addition of Myles Garrett and the return of Aaron Donald, while also being viewed as the favorite to win the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium again this season.
The Rams won’t come back home with that same successful feeling, after the team’s short trip to Australia was unsuccessful.
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The team’s travel itinerary will be viewed as a disaster, with a late arrival likely being viewed as a reason for the 27-7 loss to the NFC West rival, San Francisco 49ers.
“I know there’s gonna be a lot of narratives that appropriately put the blame on me, and then we’ll move forward the right way,” Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters after the game. “… I don’t believe (the travel plan) is why we didn’t play well enough. I really don’t.”
The travel decisions will continue to be a topic of discussion in the coming days, but there are several other factors that could be attributed to the loss.
Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers is sacked in the second quarter of the NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia.
Myles Garrett will benefit from Aaron Donald’s return
Garrett has proven throughout his career that he can be the primary focus on a defense and still produce. He spent some time matched up against 49ers standout lineman Trent Williams and did not have a good showing by the defenders’ standards, finishing the game without a sack or tackle.
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“We got to be better, myself especially,” Garrett said. “We didn’t execute how we want to … we have to do more. There’s a lot more that this team can get done, and it starts with us as leaders.”
He had missed some time away from practice in recent weeks. He did not produce a tackle or sack in 39 snaps against the 49ers.
Garrett produced 23 sacks last season before winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time in his career.
When Donald takes the field, his presence alone forces defenses to either double-team Donald or Garrett or leave both in man-to-man situations.
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Rams secondary had highs and lows
The defense had few positive moments outside of safety Quentin Lake’s second-quarter interception. It served as the first turnover for the team this season, but it was also the only one for the game.
He jumped 49ers tight end George Kittle and caught 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s pass with 12:04 left in the second quarter.
It was the only memorable moment for the Rams as the secondary allowed three touchdowns after that.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford did not finish the game, fueling speculation that he may have been injured.
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Stafford left the game in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and was replaced by Stetson Bennett.
The Rams’ seven-point performance is the fewest points scored in a game with Stafford as the starter.
Stafford did not appear injured and was removed by McVay with the game clearly out of hand. The veteran quarterback was seen on the broadcast running off the field after the game.
He completed 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards and an interception. He did not throw a touchdown in the game.
Stafford was recorded as having a one-yard loss on two carries, one of which came after a failed quarterback sneak attempt on 4th-and-goal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What we learned from Rams’ ugly opening loss vs. 49ers
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