Football fans packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground for a massive Week 1 showdown as the Los Angeles Rams went head-to-head with the San Francisco 49ers. Punters rolling into this fixture had plenty to weigh up, with the Rams arriving off the back of a solid 24-9 win against the Los Angeles Chargers, whilst the San Francisco 49ers were looking to bounce back following a 20-29 loss against the Atlanta Falcons.
When the dust settled on the turf, it was the visiting San Francisco 49ers who put on a commanding display, overpowering their division rivals to secure a convincing 27-7 victory. The result shakes up the early season narrative and hands the 49ers a massive statement win on foreign soil.
How the match unfolded
Prior to kickoff, the market had the Los Angeles Rams installed as the clear favourites at 1.48 in the head-to-head market, with the San Francisco 49ers offered at 2.67. The line was set at 3.5 points, while the total points market rested at 48.5 points.
Despite starting as the fancied side in the market, the Rams struggled to find any rhythm against a resolute San Francisco defence. The 49ers completely flipped the pre-match script, restricting the Rams to just 7 points while piling on 27 of their own to comfortably cover the line and comfortably clear the path for punters who backed the outsiders.
How the tips went
Let's take an honest look at how our published selections fared in this Week 1 encounter.
Head to Head: Los Angeles Rams — Loss. The Rams couldn't capitalise on their favouritism, falling heavily to a well-drilled San Francisco outfit.
Line: San Francisco 49ers +3.5 — Win. Taking the 49ers with the start proved to be a shrewd play as they claimed the outright victory with plenty to spare.