The San Francisco 49ers secured a dominant 27-7 win in Week 1 over the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 in Australia. Moreover, with all the hype surrounding the Rams after their offseason moves, the Niners’ George Kittle couldn’t help but troll them postgame.
“I mean, personally, it means the absolute world because last time I played football, I left on a cart; to be back for Week 1 means the world to me and my family,” George Kittle told ESPN postgame. “To be out there for the boys as a team.
“What an atmosphere. To get a win. The boys played well. The juice was there all day. Anytime you can get a win versus a division opponent is always a great thing, and anytime you can beat the Rams, it’s a great thing.”
Moreover, it was Brock Purdy’s time to shine in Australia as the 49ers’ QB went 25-for-34 on his pass attempts, leading to 205 passing yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 105.6.
George Kittle Issues Strong Praise for Brock Purdy
Kittle didn’t hold back his thoughts regarding what he saw from Purdy on offense, even though the tight end only had two receptions on five targets for 12 receiving yards.
“Besides the one pass he threw into quadruple coverage to me, which I appreciate, Brock, keep throwing those; besides that, I mean, he was on all day, and then I think he really took control of the game,” Kittle added.
“He had that long scramble for a first down that kept us on the field for another touchdown. I mean, his confidence is soaring. I think he found his groove in Week 1. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
49ers Defense Gets Love From George Kittle
Meanwhile, the 49ers defense was the other reason for this lopsided win over the Rams. Fred Warner put on a show, recording 11 tackles and forcing a fumble. He wasn’t the only Niners player on defense to record a turnover against Los Angeles, as Renardo Green picked off Matthew Stafford.
The Niners defense limited Stafford to 155 passing yards, zero touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 61.2. Kittle also expressed gratitude for how the 49ers defense played against the Rams.
“How good are Nick Bosa and Fred Warner? Wow,” Kittle noted. “The secondary came to play today. I know there were a couple of PI calls, but I thought our secondary played great. The linebackers and our D-line really stepped up, especially because we had two injuries in the last week.
“So proud of this team. We embraced going to Australia—a 15-hour flight. We’re here the whole week. It was a grind, but we did it. I’m just proud of this team, and I think the plan that head coach [Kyle] Shanahan and [strength and conditioning coach] Dustin Perry gave us, we executed it the right way.”
The Niners will savor this win and turn the page to Week 2 when they host the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 20 at Levi’s Stadium as the team looks to start 2-0 on the season.
George Kittle Has Strong Message for Rams After 49ers Win in Australia