The San Francisco 49ers handed the Los Angeles Rams a serious 27-7 upset in Week 1, a game where the Rams looked absolutely flat, while the Niners kept their foot on the gas in the second half to pull away for a key divisional victory. Now, Rams head coach Sean McVay has admitted his travel strategy for that Australia trip was a huge mistake, taking full blame for what went down.
The Australia Gamble That Backfired Big Time
The discourse leading up to that Week 1 matchup was all about how these two teams handled the massive trip to Australia. The 49ers, consulting their experts, decided to fly in a whole week early, giving their guys time to acclimate to the time change. Smart, right? The Rams, on the other hand, went with their usual in-season international approach from last year: fly in the day before and just operate on Pacific time. There was a ton of talk about which strategy was best, and Week 1 seemed to settle it. The 49ers were rested, locked in, and clearly played better football. Rams wide receiver Davante Adams even acknowledged on The Up & Adams Show that the Niners were “more ready & locked in” than the Rams, saying, “The Niners went out there and played better football than us.” He attributed the loss directly to that.
McVay’s Blunt Confession And What’s Next
After a much better Week 2 performance, a 28-6 beatdown of the New York Giants despite not having Puka Nacua, McVay didn’t hold back. He openly admitted his error, chuckling as he left the podium with a classic line: “Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn, and sometimes you have a dumbass coach that makes travel decisions that put you in a bad spot.” Oof. He’s owning it, saying he put his team in a bad spot. While the Rams had found success with similar international approaches in the past, this was Week 1. Both teams had ample time to adjust and then readjust back home, making the Rams’ choice a clear backfire. Both McVay and Kyle Shanahan have actually expressed their frustration with the whole long travel situation for playing in Australia, with McVay even hoping they don’t have to do it again.
But hey, both teams moved forward, securing wins in Week 2. It’ll be a long wait until Week 14 before the 49ers and Rams face off again. For now, though, advantage definitely goes to the 49ers.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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