NFL analyst Pat McAfee had a sharp reaction to the Los Angeles Rams’ miserable trip home after their 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The ESPN host joked that the team’s long return flight could make the defeat even harder to forget.
“17 Hour flight back with no WiFi after getting destroyed in Australia might be considered a ‘Hell on Earth’ sitch,” McAfee wrote on X.
The Rams entered the season with Super Bowl expectations but struggled throughout their first game. They managed only 290 total yards while Matthew Stafford completed 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards.
“We probably only had two good drives, to be honest,” Stafford said, via ESPN. “Not enough good stuff on offense.”
MORE: ‘In play’ — Jerry Jones makes Cowboys trade plans clear ahead of 2026 NFL season
Los Angeles also failed to convert a major scoring chance in the third quarter. The Rams reached the San Francisco 1-yard line before the 49ers stopped Stafford on a quarterback sneak.
The biggest discussion centered on Los Angeles’ unusual travel plan. The Rams stayed in California until Tuesday before flying to Melbourne, arriving just 28 hours before kickoff.
San Francisco arrived about a week earlier and had more time to adjust to the 15-hour time difference. The Rams planned to return home immediately after the game.
“Feels like getting to Australia early might’ve been the right play,” McAfee wrote in another post.
Rams’ travel strategy for Australia game takes heat
The strategy drew criticism after Los Angeles appeared sluggish throughout the matchup. The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi admitted his earlier support for the plan proved wrong.
“I liked the Rams’ 48-hour travel plan. I was wrong. I’ll take the L,” Markazi wrote. “The Rams worked with multiple scientists over multiple years on it but I doubt they try it again.”
However, he still believes San Francisco is the better team, regardless of the travel schedule. “I do think the 49ers are a better team right now and win that game regardless of when the Rams got to Melbourne,” he said.
Grant Cohn of 49ers on SI took a harsher view. “The Rams deserved this loss,” Cohn wrote. “Their travel plans were disrespectful to the 49ers in particular and Australia in general.”
Sean McVay defended the approach after the defeat. “I don’t believe the travel plan is why we didn’t play well enough,” the Rams coach said.
MORE: Fans React: NFL announces 3 sports betting deals ahead of 2026 season
Myles Garrett’s debut added another concern. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year recorded zero tackles and later called it “the worst version of myself” he had produced.
