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Week 1 always lies. These parts of the Rams’ loss might not.

The Los Angeles Rams endured an uncharacteristically brutal start to their 2026 campaign, dropping a 27-7 divisional showdown against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Staged internationally at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, the neutral-site opener proved frustrating for a Los Angeles squad that entered the year viewed as championship front-runners.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford struggled mightily with his accuracy throughout the evening, while high-profile defensive acquisition Myles Garrett failed to register on the stat sheet during his franchise debut. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year and the rest of the roster now face an immediate deficit in the NFC West standings following the lopsided defeat.