Five Shocking Numbers From the 49ers’ Dominant Win Over the Rams

The 49ers seamlessly took down the preseason Super Bowl favorites in Australia.

Matthew Stafford and the Rams struggled against the 49ers | Erick W. Rasco/ Sports Illustrated.

Don’t crown the Rams just yet. In front of a crowd of 100,021 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 49ers put in a statement performance as they defeated the Rams 27–7. 

Blame the travel plans, blame the jet lag or Kyle Shanahan for having Sean McVay’s number, but either way, the Rams looked far from the runaway preseason Super Bowl favorites in their first 60 minutes of action on Friday (or Thursday in the U.S.). 

MANZANO: Amid All the Rams Hype, 49ers Remind Us That They’re Great, Too

As the 49ers and Rams fly back to the U.S., here’s a look back at five numbers that defined the 49ers’ dominant victory over their division foe.

0

The number of times the Rams sacked Brock Purdy. Despite all the hype surrounding the Rams’ upgraded defense—and the addition of future Hall of Fame pass rusher Myles Garrett—they were unable to take down or significantly pressure Purdy during the game. After setting the single-season sack record a season ago, Garrett did not make the stat sheet, failing to register a tackle or a sack. Credit to his future Hall of Fame counterpart Trent Williams, who did a good job limiting his impact in his much-anticipated Rams’ debut. 

Myles Garrett struggled to make a huge impact in his first game with the Rams. | Erick W. Rasco/ Sports Illustrated.

Netflix reporter Tom Pelissero noted on the broadcast that Garrett, who dealt with a knee injury through much of training camp, appeared “gassed” when he subbed out of the game. Per Nate Atkins of The Athletic, Garrett said he wasn’t healthy and, “This was the worst version of myself.” 

It was also disappointing for the other members of the Rams’ stellar defensive line—Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, who were unable to take down Purdy. In turn, Purdy took full advantage, finishing the game 25-for-34 for 205 yards, three touchdowns and one pick. 

4

The number of passes Matthew Stafford completed during the first half of the game. On the first play of the game, Stafford nearly threw an interception to Fred Warner, a pass that was a sign of things to come for him as he struggled to get into a consistent rhythm. Overall, it was a rough outing for the reigning MVP, who finished the game 15-of-25 for 155 yards and one interception. He did not throw a touchdown pass in a regular-season game for the first time since the end of the 2024 season. 

While the Rams’ rushing attack was effective in the first half, the 49ers slowed them down in the second half, and Stafford was unable to do enough in the passing game to keep them rolling. McVay pulled him in the final minutes of the game, ending a performance to forget for the 18th-year vet. 

14

The number of carries rookie running back Kaelon Black received in his debut game. This was four more carries than Christian McCaffrey, who finished with 10 carries for 68 yards. Shanahan is known for not always featuring his mid-round drafted running backs, but he followed through on the team’s plans to lessen McCaffrey’s workload after a 413-touch season. 

Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers’ running game looked strong in Week 1. | Erick W. Rasco/ Sports Illustrated.

It’s unclear if Black and McCaffrey will continue to split carries throughout the season the way they did in this game—they could also have been easing McCaffrey after he missed time during the preseason with tightness. Either way, the plan was effective. McCaffrey looked good, showcasing the burst that was often missing from his runs in 2025 as he averaged 6.8 yards per carry. As a result, the 49ers registered a 56.7% success rate in the running game, per Ben Solak, an excellent mark and a stark contrast to their lackluster rushing attack from a season ago. 

2

The number of third downs the Rams converted. A key piece of the 49ers’ win was their ability to keep the Rams from converting on third downs (Los Angeles was also 0-for-2 on fourth-down conversion attempts while Stafford was still in the game). The 49ers defense was not perfect during the game, but they stepped up in critical moments to knock a normally dynamic offense off the field, from Renardo Green picking off Stafford on third-and-10, to stopping Puka Nacua and Stafford before they crossed the goal line. In contrast, the 49ers converted seven of their 12 third-down attempts, helping them sustain long drives—including the 99-yard drive to start the fourth quarter —and fully shift momentum in San Francisco's favor. 

7

The number of points the Rams scored against the 49ers. This final number is perhaps the most jarring. The Rams, the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL in 2025, managed only a single touchdown against the 49ers defense. They missed out on other scoring opportunities, such as the aforementioned turnovers or goal-line stand by the 49ers, but still came away with so few points. Per an NFL researcher, this is the fewest points the Rams have scored in a game Stafford has started, and the first time since November 2024 (vs. the Eagles) that they’ve lost a game by more than seven points. 

It’s only Week 1—and last year’s Super Bowl winner notably lost to the 49ers in the first week of the season—so there is plenty of time for the Rams to emerge into the team they’re expected to be. Still, this was a discouraging start to the year for the heavy preseason favorites, and one they’ll want to quickly erase as they look ahead to their Week 2 contest against the Giants. 

---