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Plaschke: Reaction to columnist's latest crash is painfully predictable

The Los Angeles Rams endured a crushing season-opening defeat against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, playing in front of an audience of 100,021 spectators. Despite entering the campaign as frontrunners for Super Bowl LXI following the acquisition of Myles Garrett from Cleveland and the return of Aaron Donald from retirement, Los Angeles was dismantled by at least 20 points.

Brock Purdy helped guide San Francisco's offense, converting a rushing first down during the blowout victory.

Head coach Sean McVay dismissed suggestions that an unusual itinerary and back-to-back 15-hour flights caused the squad's poor showing, which marked his first defeat in an overseas contest. The lopsided outcome stands as the second-heaviest defeat ever suffered by a preseason championship favorite in Week 1, leaving the Rams with steep statistical odds to overcome since merely a single past champion ever recovered from an opening 20-point rout to win the title.