Purdy Delivers Three TDs as 49ers Dominate Rams in NFL's Australian Debut
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers, steering his side to a 27-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
According to Sky Sports, the attendance of 100,021 ranks as the seventh-largest crowd in NFL regular-season history.
The result gave San Francisco an early divisional edge.
Los Angeles, widely forecast as a Super Bowl contender before the season, absorbed a blunt opening loss despite fielding newly acquired pass-rusher Myles Garrett, who joined in the offseason from the Cleveland Browns, and the returning Aaron Donald.
Purdy Spreads the Ball in Three-Score Night
Purdy completed 25 of 34 attempts for 205 yards. His first scoring throw came late in the second quarter, a 39-yard connection with wide receiver Demarcus Robinson that capped a nine-play, 86-yard drive and sent San Francisco into the break ahead 10-7.
Wide receiver Mike Evans, in his 49ers debut after signing from Tampa Bay in March, hauled in a two-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter to extend the lead to 17-7. Evans finished with six receptions for 49 yards.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan told 49ers.com it was the first time he had worked with Evans in a live game, adding that having a receiver of his size in the red zone was a genuine weapon. Evans noted the play had been practised heavily during the lead-up week.
Purdy wasn't done. He added a third score later, finding wide receiver Deebo Samuel on a 15-yard pass during a 99-yard drive that pushed the margin to 24-7.
San Francisco's Defence Seals the Win
The 49ers defence held Los Angeles to a solitary score. A key third-quarter stand came at the Rams' own fourth-and-goal from the 1, where defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa stopped quarterback Matthew Stafford short on a sneak attempt.
Linebacker Fred Warner, returning after a season-ending ankle injury in 2025, forced a Tyler Higbee fumble early in the fourth quarter that extinguished any remaining Rams momentum.
Shanahan told 49ers.com that Warner's presence means everything to this team.
Rams' Preparation Contrast Draws Attention
Sky Sports reported a notable difference in how both franchises approached the trip. San Francisco arrived in Melbourne a full week before the game. Los Angeles landed just 28 hours before kickoff.
The 49ers' early presence built goodwill with local supporters and allowed the team to settle properly before the contest.
The Rams' head coach, per Sky Sports, acknowledged the margin of defeat plainly, saying his side was outplayed in every area and that he personally had not done nearly enough.
He described the loss as humbling but insisted it would only define the team if they allowed it to.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground hosted the NFL's first regular-season game on Australian soil. Los Angeles and San Francisco are scheduled to meet again in Week 14.