A look at the winners and losers from the Los Angeles Rams' Week 1 loss.
The Los Angeles Rams were handily beaten by the San Francisco 49ers with a final score of 27-7, and there was not a lot that went well for the Rams.
This is also just one week of a very long 17-game season. That said, here are the winners and losers from the blowout loss.
Winners
Run Game
Despite the offense not being successful by any means, the run game still showed that it is powerful with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum in the backfield.
The pair combined for 95 yards on the ground and one touchdown, while Williams also added 24 receiving yards on three receptions.
The split carry situation may be a bit from figured out, but the Rams' run game remains potent and will be a highlight of this offense moving forward.
Puka Nacua
Despite quarterback Matthew Stafford looking way off, Nacua managed to haul in 74 yards on five receptions, pointing to his being dangerous in the passing game. In what could be a major contract year, the receiver is showing that his skills have not skipped a beat.
Nacua is also dealing with an off-field issue that could impact his contract, so putting together a strong 2026 season will assuredly aid his contract negotations in the near future.
Losers
Matthew Stafford
Stafford appeared to be way off on his throws, and the 49ers seemingly knew exactly how to get after him. Per Pro Football Focus, the Rams quarterback was pressured 10 times, leading to one interception, and a 60 percent completion percentage.
The 49ers may have built the roadmap for other defenses to mimic their success and find ways to stop Stafford from rifling off big throws.
Offensive Line
This was as rough of a showing as its been for the offensive line, as they were constantly bullied by the San Francisco pass rush. Stafford was pressured constantly, and never quite got settled.
Additionally, the run game appeared to be stalled after the second half, which could have also been attributed to how the line was not opening run lanes for any back to be successful.
Sean McVay
Head coach Sean McVay was outclassed at every level by his rival Kyle Shanahan. Following the game, the Rams leader said they were beaten at all three levels, which was surely the case.
McVay may not have wanted to use the travel plan as an excuse, but that may have been something that contributed to the slow start for Los Angeles.
The 49ers were out in Australia for a week, while the Rams left a mere 25 hours before they were set to face off against San Francisco. Despite all the research and data, leaving earlier may have benefited Los Angeles.
Linebacker Room
The Rams' linebacker room may need some reinforcements, as two linebackers were injured during the game.
Initially, Omar Speights left early on, and it was revealed that he had suffered a hip injury. This was followed by Nate Landman, who suffered a shoulder injury towards the end of the fourth quarter, and he was pulled immediately.
The 49ers found a way to attack the middle of the field with intermediate throws, as they targeted Speights plenty. Now, with two starters potentially out, the Rams have Grant Stuard and Shaun Dolac as their remaining healthy linebackers.
Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett was arguably the biggest letdown of this big loss, as he ended the day with zero tackles and zero sacks. He admitted that he went into the game not at 100 percent, and it could be that the Rams jumped the gun on bringing him back into the fold.
While Garrett can certainly bounce back, his health may need to be revisted in terms of allowing him to play in Week 2.
