The NFL makes history tonight as the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers meet at Melbourne Cricket Ground for Australia’s first-ever NFL game, with more than 100,000 fans expected to pack the stadium.
The biggest storyline may be how differently these teams prepared for the trip. San Francisco arrived in Australia more than a week ago to adjust to the time change, while Sean McVay kept the Rams in California until arriving roughly 28 hours before kickoff. Now we get to see which approach works.
The Rams enter the season as one of the Super Bowl favorites and have added some serious firepower to their defense. Myles Garrett makes his Rams debut, joining Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson in Los Angeles' revamped secondary. Garrett and Byron Young will have a massive challenge against Trent Williams and the 49ers' offensive line.
San Francisco comes in with plenty of questions of its own. Nick Bosa and George Kittle are expected to play after long injury recoveries, although Kyle Shanahan hasn't committed to how much either will see the field. The 49ers also ranked last in the NFL with just 20 sacks in 2025, something Matthew Stafford and the Rams will look to exploit.
Stafford enters the season as the reigning MVP and needs just two touchdown passes to tie Philip Rivers for sixth-most in NFL history. He's also thrown at least two touchdown passes in 11 straight regular-season games.
The Rams won the last meeting 42-26 in November, but San Francisco still leads the all-time series 78-71-3. With both teams viewed as legitimate NFC contenders, this is a huge early test in a unique environment.
My Picks
Rams
Matthew Stafford — 200+ passing yards
Puka Nacua — 5+ receptions
Davante Adams — Anytime TD
Kyren Williams — 50+ rushing yards
Kyren Williams — potential early TD
49ers
George Kittle — Anytime TD
Brock Purdy — Under 200 passing yards
Christian McCaffrey — Lackluster game expected due to the ongoing questions surrounding his health and workload.
I think the Rams' defensive additions, especially Garrett, could make life difficult for Purdy, while Stafford should have enough opportunities to move the ball against a San Francisco defense that struggled to generate pressure last season.
My take: Rams control the game early and come away with the win in Australia's NFL debut.