Niners’ nuggets: Deebo’s return, Brendel’s catch and more from 49ers’ season-opening win over Rams

The 49ers are atop the NFC West two days into the NFL season after dominating the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia on Friday morning there, and Thursday night stateside.

Brock Purdy had three touchdown passes to three different receivers in the 27-7 win and six different 49ers had two or more catches. The three scores were all different: Demarcus Robinson scored on a 39-yard bomb, Mike Evans had his first 49ers touchdown on a short back-shoulder fade and Deebo Samuel caught a crossing pattern as Purdy escaped the pocket.

The defense came up big, too, forcing two turnovers and holding the Rams to 2-of-9 on third-down conversions.

Here are a few nuggets from the win.

Turning point

Samuel’s 45-yard kickoff return to start the second half showed the zip and physicality the 49ers needed to stretch their three-point lead to multiple scores. Christian McCaffrey ripped off runs of 14 and 16 yards on the next two plays, and Evans scored five snaps after that.

Stat that tells the story

Matthew Stafford’s QB rating of 61.2 was his lowest since Boxing Day 2021. The 49ers didn’t have a sack in the game, but they did have eight QB hits as Stafford never got into a rhythm in Raheem Morris’ debut as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator.

Zebra report

It was a clean game from a penalty perspective, with six combined flags. The key review was Matthew Stafford’s third-quarter sneak that was stuffed at the goal line. Officials upheld the call on the field that Stafford didn’t reach the end zone. Eleven plays and 99 yards later, the 49ers’ lead stretched to three scores.

They said it

“I’d like 17 home games in San Francisco. Nothing against Australia, I just don’t like to travel. … It was like both the game we have against the Rams at home, in California.” – Kyle Shanahan on playing in Australia

Wait, what?

Center Jake Brendel recorded his first career catch in the second quarter when Purdy’s pass was knocked down by Nate Landman (a Monte Vista-Danville alum) and landed in Brendel’s lap. He even gained 2 yards before Landman tackled him. Unfortunately for the 49ers, De’Zhaun Stribling was injured on the play and missed the rest of the game.

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Medical tent

Stribling suffered an ankle injury, but Shanahan noted his Achilles was intact. Tight end Jake Tonges also went out before halftime with a knee injury. Shanahan said it was an MCL issue and was “not good”. Both players will undergo more testing.

What’s next

The Niners will travel back home and rest up for several days, Shanahan said. Their Week 2 game – and home opener at Levi’s Stadium – is against the Miami Dolphins next Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:25 p.m.