The San Francisco 49ers opened their season in historic fashion, beating the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in the first ever NFL game played in Australia. The win came at Melbourne Cricket Ground, capping a long week of travel for both teams.
Brock Purdy looked sharp all afternoon, completing 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns. He led the 49ers on long, controlled drives that wore down a Rams defense many expected to be one of the league’s best.
One moment from the second quarter, however, is still making headlines well after the final whistle.
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NFL reviewing roughing the passer call on Tyler Davis
With 1:24 left in the first half, Purdy dropped back on second and three, aiming for Deebo Samuel. As he released the ball, Rams defensive tackle Tyler Davis lowered his helmet and hit Purdy in the head.
Officials flagged Davis for roughing the passer, wiping out the incomplete pass and handing San Francisco a fresh set of downs.
The league treats helmet-to-helmet contact on a quarterback as a serious violation, separate from whether a flag was thrown on the field. The NFL reviews plays like this after every game to decide on further discipline.
According to league rules, roughing the passer violations can carry fines up to $17,911 for a first offense. If the league also rules that Davis made impermissible use of his helmet, he could face an additional fine of up to $23,882.
Davis and the Rams will now turn their attention to Week 2 as they try to bounce back from a rough start.
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