The San Francisco 49ers begin their season on prime-time taking part in the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. This marks the primary time in NFL historical past that there’s a recreation in Australia. The Australians are getting a enjoyable one, too, as Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay often ship a enjoyable contest extra typically than a boring one.
However how good is it?
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Over at NFL.com, Jeremy Bergman has Week 1 as No. 3 in his prime 10 prime-time video games. Forward of video games just like the New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals. His causes for the rating are sound: its Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay attempting to not lose to at least one one other.
Welcome to the primary prime-time recreation in NFL historical past to kick off earlier than lunch! Even when the league’s first regular-season journey to Australia didn’t function two perennially contending NFC West rivals, this recreation would’ve made the checklist, merely for the novelty. After exhibiting worldwide video games on soccer pitches, rugby fields and made-for-NFL turfs, the league will likely be placing on San Francisco-Los Angeles at a cricket floor. Sorry, make {that a} 173-year-old cricket floor. SoFi Stadium, it isn’t — however that’s the enjoyable. Including to the particular environment: Although the Australia recreation will likely be broadcast at 8:35 p.m. ET on a Thursday within the States, the sport will kick off at round 11 a.m. Melbourne time … on Friday. Do they even serve Foster’s that early? There are, in fact, extra urgent on-field issues for the groups. Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and the Rams have been thisclose to a Tremendous Bowl berth in 2026 and are on the lookout for a sizzling begin and a divisional win towards Brock Purdy’s 49ers, who bowed out within the Divisional Spherical however cut up the season collection with L.A. final yr. San Francisco doesn’t get to profit from taking part in in entrance of the 49ers Devoted who usually pack SoFi, however the Niners ought to nonetheless be aggressive towards Sean McVay and Co. on the opposite facet of the globe.
I get the enjoyable of 49ers-Rams, and the sport must be a very good time. I additionally say that is the primary recreation of the season, and Week 1 video games are usually extra sloppy than they’re good. Bizarre would possibly even be a very good phrase to explain them. This isn’t all video games on the primary week of the schedule, however the groups you see in Week 1 will not be the groups you’ll see 15 weeks later.
With the sport in Australia and it being the primary week, one thing tells me it is likely to be a little bit of a blended bag. Will it’s good? In all probability. The No. 3 prime-time recreation of the yr? I doubt it. I’m anticipating numerous errors and clumsy performs from each groups as they play their first recreation of the season. Bergman did rank some video games merely on the vibes of groups, and the 49ers/Rams ship on that. Like most Week 1 video games, I believe you’ll see numerous issues that want fixing fairly than defining moments—for each groups.
Do you see this recreation being one of many higher prime-time video games of the yr, or ought to we pump the brakes a bit on these Week 1 slop-fests?