49ers Have a Golden Opportunity After Beating the Rams

They can't waste it.

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Beating the Los Angeles Rams in Australia was always going to give the San Francisco 49ers a sweet start to their 2026 regular season.

Beginning the year 1-0 with a win over a division rival is always big time. But now, that win looks even sweeter in the current NFC West landscape.

It's been changing ever since Week 1 began. As a result, the 49ers are staring at a golden opportunity to grab the NFC West.

A golden opportunity

Sep 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (5) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It started with the Seattle Seahawks, who lost Sam Darnold in their home opener against the New England Patriots. Darnold suffered a hip injury that will presumably keep him out of several games.

The Seahawks will suffer a drop-off in performance with Darnold out. They won't be as likely to win games as previously projected.

Seattle isn't the only team in the division facing a drop-off. The Rams will not have Myles Garrett for at least the next four games after placing him on Injured Reserve.

The prized offseason addition that catapulted them into Super Bowl favorites will have arthroscopic knee surgery. Garrett missed most of training camp because of his knee.

Rather than address it earlier, they thought they could let him play through it. After seeing how irrelevant he was in Week 1, they elected to get the surgery.

The Rams won't be as strong on defense as projected before the season, even with Aaron Donald back. And after how poor they looked against the 49ers, they clearly need all hands on deck.

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, AUS; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) plays defense against the San Francisco 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seahawks and the Rams will not be at their best for the next several weeks. It's likely they'll suffer losses that no one could've fathomed before the season started.

Meanwhile, the 49ers have a prime chance to start the season 3-0 or better. It makes reeling off wins that much more important, as they could separate themselves from the Seahawks and the Rams.

They're off to a solid start so far after beating the Rams. A win like that has given them momentum to take a serious lead in the NFC West.

They cannot let this golden opportunity pass them by. The Seahawks and the Rams will eventually get their top players back and return to their rightful form.

Before that happens, the 49ers must build a gap between those two teams. That way, if they have a tough stretch to win games in the season, they'll have some leeway.

Winning games is always crucial, but now, the 49ers should feel excited about the opportunity to anchor themselves at the top of the division.

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