Fred Warner didn’t need much time after the 49ers’ win in Australia to explain what he thought happened to the Rams.
San Francisco’s linebacker said the game tilted as the night wore on, with the 49ers growing stronger and Los Angeles fading.
"I think it was definitely a matter of us feeling like we got stronger as the game went on," Warner told reporters postgame. "The opposing team, it felt like they kinda withered away."
He also pointed to the way the 49ers handled the trip itself, saying the early arrival and the support around the team mattered.
"Our plan was great. Coming out here early, all the resources they gave us to be successful for today is what gave us a chance to win this game."
The Rams had their moments early, opening up a 7-3 lead in the second quarter. After that, though, the offense went silent.
Los Angeles didn’t score again, and its final five full drives before Matthew Stafford was pulled included an interception, a fumble and a turnover on downs. That last sequence came on a quarterback sneak attempt from the 1-yard line that failed to move the chains.
Stafford finished 15 of 25 for 155 yards with one interception and a passer rating of 61.2. His minus-0.37 EPA/dropback was his worst single-game mark in 85 career regular-season and playoff appearances as the Rams' starter, according to TruMedia.
The way Los Angeles prepared for the NFL’s first game in Australia has already drawn plenty of criticism. The 49ers flew out a week before kickoff. The Rams didn’t land in Melbourne until just over 24 hours before the game.
There was also a deeper layer to that planning. According to ESPN’s Peter Schrager, the Rams sent 15 staffers to Australia over the last two years to study sleep rhythms and how players’ bodies reacted to long flights and the time change.
Head coach Sean McVay defended the decision to arrive late, saying the timing wasn’t the reason his team fell short.
"I don't believe that's why we didn't play well enough," McVay said, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "I really don't. ...
I'll always make decisions that I think are best for the football team. It's easy in hindsight to be able to say it was a miss, but those are responsibilities that I'll take."
San Francisco, meanwhile, piled up 379 total yards. Christian McCaffrey and Kaelon Black powered the offense out of the backfield, each getting 15 touches and combining for 158 total yards. Brock Purdy added three touchdown passes, finishing with 205 yards and a passer rating of 105.6.
The Rams will try to reset against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 2. The 49ers return home to face the Miami Dolphins.
In Other News...
Rams Could Be Dealing With More Fallout Than Just This Loss
The Rams left Australia with more than a lopsided loss, and Tyler Davis roughing-the-passer penalty is now part of the conversation too. On a night when San Francisco handled Los Angeles 27-7 in the NFLs first game played in Australia, the call on Davis stood out for the way it came after helmet-to-helmet contact with Brock Purdy and added another jolt to an already frustrating trip.
What happens next could matter just as much as the final score, because the NFL is reviewing the play for possible additional discipline and fines. For a Rams team that already has plenty to sort through after getting pushed around by a division rival on a global stage, the concern now is whether one snap turns into a bigger setback once the league finishes its review. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Fans Are Crushing Sean McVay Over One Goal Line Call
The Rams had a golden chance at the 1-yard line in a fourth-and-goal spot, only to come away empty when Matthew Stafford was sent on a quarterback sneak that did not get into the end zone. Sean McVay later acknowledged the missed chance was a turning point in the game, and Stafford confirmed the sneak was the called play, which only sharpened the scrutiny around the decision.
For a coach who usually earns trust with his sequencing and situational feel, this was the sort of call that fans circle immediately, especially given Staffords long track record as a passer rather than a runner. The debate now is less about the failed snap of a play than about why the Rams chose that look in such a high-leverage moment, and whether it was the kind of gamble that cost them when they could least afford it. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Stafford Already Faces An Uncomfortable Rams Question
Matthew Staffords 2025 opener offered the Rams a little of everything except the kind of clean start they wanted from their quarterback. In the loss to San Francisco, Stafford was efficient enough in stretches but finished with no touchdown passes, one interception and just 155 yards through the air, while the offense leaned more heavily on the run game than on big throws downfield.
Stetson Bennett got a brief look in the game, completing a couple passes and adding a short run, but the larger concern for Los Angeles is the balance of the offense around Stafford as the season begins. Blake Corum and Kyren Williams combined for 95 rushing yards and a score on 21 carries, which at least gave the Rams something to build on, but the early question is whether Stafford can still drive the attack when defenses force him to carry more of the load. [Read more 🡒]