49ers-Rams Take NFL to Australia for Historic Week 1 Matchup

The NFL’s international expansion reaches another milestone tonight when the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the league’s first regular-season game in Australia. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. ET Thursday on Netflix, which is Friday morning in Melbourne. More than 100,000 fans are expected at the MCG.

Super Bowl Aspirations

The neutral-site NFC West matchup also features two teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Los Angeles reached last season’s NFC Championship Game, while San Francisco went 12-5 and won a road playoff game before losing to eventual champion Seattle in the divisional round. One of the most interesting storylines involves how the teams handled the enormous trip. San Francisco arrived nearly a week in advance to acclimate, while the Rams chose a much later arrival designed to minimize disruption to their normal body clocks. Sportsbooks like FanDuel and BetMGM haven’t assigned an obvious advantage to either strategy, with the point spread remaining steady.

Key Players and Betting Odds

• Matthew Stafford: The Rams quarterback enters his 18th NFL season after winning his first MVP award. Stafford led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns in 2025.
• Puka Nacua: Nacua remains one of Stafford’s premier weapons and is part of a Los Angeles offense that also returns Davante Adams, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
• Myles Garrett: Los Angeles acquired the reigning Defensive Player of the Year after Garrett recorded an NFL-record 23 sacks last season. Aaron Donald has returned from retirement but will not play tonight, leaving Garrett as the centerpiece of the Rams’ pass rush.
• Brock Purdy: San Francisco needs Purdy to handle that pressure after an injury-shortened 2025 regular season in which he threw 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in nine games.
• Christian McCaffrey: McCaffrey remains the centerpiece of San Francisco’s offense, particularly as a runner and short receiving option. Containing him is one of the Rams’ primary defensive priorities.
• Betting odds: The Rams are currently 3.5-point favorites, with the total at 48.5. Los Angeles is -206 on the moneyline and San Francisco is +172.

The matchup could provide an immediate indication of the NFC West hierarchy. Los Angeles enters the season as a leading Super Bowl contender, while San Francisco is trying to stay healthy and reestablish itself among the NFC’s elite.

Seattle Rallies Past New England in Season Opener

The 2026 season began Wednesday with a rematch of Super Bowl LX, and the result was familiar. Seattle defeated New England 13-10, rallying from a 10-0 deficit behind its defense and backup quarterback Drew Lock. Seattle starter Sam Darnold exited with a hip injury, forcing Lock into action. Lock responded by completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. His biggest play came with Seattle trailing in the fourth quarter, when Jaxon Smith-Njigba turned a short completion into a 45-yard touchdown. Smith-Njigba finished with eight catches for 122 yards.

Critical Fourth Quarter Turnover

New England quarterback Drake Maye had a much different fourth quarter. Maye threw interceptions on the Patriots’ final three possessions, including a game-ending pick by Josh Jobe in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining. Maye finished 23-of-33 for 178 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Brown Sustains Injury

The Patriots also lost newly acquired receiver A.J. Brown to a right ankle injury during the third quarter. Seattle’s defense ultimately decided the game, recording three fourth-quarter interceptions and three sacks as the Seahawks scored the final 13 points. For the Rams and 49ers, Seattle’s victory adds even more importance to tonight’s game: the defending Super Bowl champions already have the first win on the board in what could be one of the NFL’s toughest divisions.