# The Rams flew in 28 hours early, and it showed

> Los Angeles landed in Australia a day before kickoff while San Francisco had a week, and the scoreboard told the story.
- Title: The Rams flew in 28 hours early, and it showed · Newsweek
- Summary: Los Angeles landed in Australia a day before kickoff while San Francisco had a week, and the scoreboard told the story. Jet lag is a game plan decision. The…
- Keywords: nfl, rams, 49ers, travel, jet lag, flew, hours, early, showed, Newsweek
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/sports/nfl/stephen-a-smith-calls-out-rams-controversial-australia-travel-decision-12433662
- Author: Matt Audilet
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nfl, rams, 49ers, travel, jet lag
## Two teams, two schedules
The Rams touched down in Australia roughly 24 hours before their Week 1 game against the 49ers. San Francisco had been in Melbourne for a full week.
## The 49ers got acclimated
San Francisco used that extra week to adjust to a drastic time change before the international opener. That head start was the whole difference in preparation.
## A lopsided Thursday night
The 49ers looked far sharper and won 27-7. Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense bore no resemblance to the unit that led the NFL in 2025.
## Stephen A. said it plainly
On Friday's "First Take," Smith went after the travel plan directly, calling it what the rest of the league had been hinting at all week.

> You got there 28 hours before the game. Clearly, that appeared to be a mistake.
## The box score backs it up
Brock Purdy threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns to Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson. Stafford managed 155 yards and an interception.
## Next up, the Giants
Los Angeles gets a chance to reset in Week 2 against New York on Monday, back on familiar time zones.
## Key takeaway

Jet lag is a game plan decision. The 49ers treated a 10,000 mile trip as prep time, the Rams treated it as a commute.