San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner believes the Los Angeles Rams' journey to Australia affected how they played Thursday.
"I think it was definitely a matter of us feeling like we got stronger as the game went on," Warner told reporters postgame. "The opposing team, it felt like they kinda withered away."
He added, "Our plan was great. Coming out here early, all the resources they gave us to be successful for today is what gave us a chance to win this game."
The Rams got out to a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter but failed to score for the remainder of the contest. Their last five full drives before Stafford was pulled from the game included an interception, a fumble, and a turnover on downs, where the signal-caller failed to convert on a quarterback sneak attempt at the 1-yard line.
In all, Stafford completed 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards with one interception and a passer rating of 61.2. His minus-0.37 EPA/dropback was his worst single-game mark in 85 career regular-season and playoff appearances as the Rams' starter, according to TruMedia.
Los Angeles has been heavily criticized for how it handled preparations for the NFL's first-ever game in Australia. San Francisco opted to fly out a week before the game, while the Rams landed in Melbourne just over 24 hours prior to kickoff.
Over the last two years, the Rams sent 15 staffers to Australia to track their sleep rhythms and how their bodies responded to the long flights and time change, according to ESPN's Peter Schrager.
"I don't believe that's why we didn't play well enough," head coach Sean McVay said of the team's decision to arrive shortly before the game, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "I really don't. ... I'll always make decisions that I think are best for the football team. It's easy in hindsight to be able to say it was a miss, but those are responsibilities that I'll take."
San Francisco racked up 379 total yards of offense, led by the running back duo of Christian McCaffrey and Kaelon Black. They each recorded 15 touches for a combined 158 total yards. Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes for 205 yards with a passer rating of 105.6.
The Rams will look to bounce back against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 2, while the 49ers will host the Miami Dolphins.
