The 49ers open 2016 at Levi's Stadium against the relocated Los Angeles Rams, 10:20 PT kickoff on Monday Night Football. The Rams' first game back in Los Angeles since 1994.
Chip Kelly's debut as the 49ers' head coach. Blaine Gabbert is the starting quarterback. Carlos Hyde leads the backfield. Colin Kaepernick is on the depth chart after the preseason national-anthem demonstrations.
Chip Kelly's debut as the 49ers' head coach Monday night at Levi's Stadium against the relocated Los Angeles Rams in their first game back in California since 1994. Blaine Gabbert is the QB1; Colin Kaepernick spent the offseason taking the national-anthem knee in protest of police violence against Black Americans.
Case Keenum is the Rams' QB1. Todd Gurley returns at running back. The Rams are coming off a 7-9 St. Louis send-off. The kind of primetime spot where a new head coach's debut produces the kind of opening night the franchise hopes will set a tone.
The 49ers are 5.5-point home favorites. Kelly's run-tempo offense's first NFL game in San Francisco.
Opening Monday Night Football begins the league sort. The defending Super Bowl champion Broncos start the year defending the championship. The Cardinals, Panthers, Seahawks, Packers, and Patriots lead the conferences' preseason favorites. The 49ers, under new head coach Chip Kelly, are the kind of NFL team starting over after the Jim Tomsula fiasco. The Monday-night opener begins the new identity push.
Through zero games the 49ers reset to a 5-11 2015 in which Jim Tomsula's one season produced 230 points allowed per game above average. Returning starters: 16 of 22. New head coach: Chip Kelly. New QB1: Blaine Gabbert. Colin Kaepernick on the depth chart after preseason anthem protest. Vegas opens the 49ers as 5.5-point home favorites; total 44.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 0-0 | -- |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-0 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Jets | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 0-0 | -- |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-0 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 0-0 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-0 | -- |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0-0 | -- |
| Tennessee Titans | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0-0 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-0 | -- |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-0 | -- |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-0 | -- |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0-0 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Giants | 0-0 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-0 | -- |
| Washington Redskins | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0-0 | -- |
| Detroit Lions | 0-0 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-0 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-0 | -- |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-0 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-0 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-0 | -- |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Carlos Hyde 11 yard rush ( Phil Dawson kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Shaun Draughn 3 yard rush ( Phil Dawson kick) | 0-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Vance McDonald 8 yard pass from Blaine Gabbert ( Phil Dawson kick) | 0-21 |
| 49ers | Carlos Hyde 1 yard rush ( Phil Dawson kick) | 0-28 |
Blaine Gabbert threw for 170 yards and a touchdown, Carlos Hyde ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns, and the 49ers crushed the Los Angeles Rams 28-0 on Monday Night Football at Levi's Stadium. The Rams produced 185 total yards. Case Keenum threw for 130 yards. Torrey Smith caught a 22-yard TD. The 49ers' defense produced four sacks. The 49ers improved to 1-0 in Chip Kelly's debut.[1][2][3]
Carlos Hyde ran for two touchdowns Monday night at Levi's Stadium. Blaine Gabbert threw for 170 yards and a touchdown to Torrey Smith. The 49ers shut out the Los Angeles Rams 28-0 in the kind of primetime debut where the new head coach's offense produced exactly the kind of statement the new regime had hoped for.
The Rams produced 185 total yards. Case Keenum threw for 130. Todd Gurley ran for 47. The 49ers' defense generated four sacks of Keenum and forced two takeaways. The kind of Monday-night home shutout where the franchise's competitive identity, after a 5-11 2015, looked completely revamped.
The national anthem protest continued. Kaepernick, in his designated backup role, took the knee. The kind of primetime opener where the new offense's identity and the broader off-field conversation both got their first 2016 reads.
49ers 28, Rams 0. Margin: +28. Season opener.
A 28-0 Monday Night Football home shutout of the Los Angeles Rams in Chip Kelly's debut as the 49ers' head coach.
How it unfolded
Carlos Hyde ran in a 4-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive. Gabbert threw a touchdown to Torrey Smith to make it 14-0. Robbie Gould kicked field goals to push the lead to 20-0 at halftime. The second half was a Hyde rushing TD that made it 27-0. A late Gould field goal made the final 28-0.
The turning point
Hyde's opening-drive rushing touchdown. With the Rams' relocated home debut a week away and Chip Kelly's NFL head-coaching debut in primetime, the early score set the tone for the kind of opening-night performance the new regime had been planning all offseason.
By the numbers
Gabbert 22-of-35 for 170 with one TD. Hyde 23 carries for 88 with two rushing TDs. Torrey Smith 5 catches for 73 with a TD. Gould three field goals. Case Keenum 19-of-35 for 130. Todd Gurley 17 carries for 47. The 49ers' four sacks of Keenum and two takeaways.
Personnel watch
Kelly's debut producing the shutout. Hyde's two-touchdown game. The Rams' Los Angeles return producing 185 total yards. The kind of Monday-night home opener where the new regime got its first signature win.
What it means
1-0 with the Panthers on the road next week. The Monday-night home shutout is the kind of debut Chip Kelly's regime needed. Carolina, the defending NFC champion, is the next test.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Blaine Gabbert | 22/35 | 170 | 1 | 0 | |
| LAR | |||||
| Case Keenum | 17/35 | 130 | 0 | 2 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Carlos Hyde | 23 | 88 | 2 | 18 |
| Blaine Gabbert | 9 | 43 | 0 | 11 |
| Shaun Draughn | 7 | 18 | 1 | 6 |
| Mike Davis | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| LAR | ||||
| Todd Gurley | 17 | 47 | 0 | 10 |
| Case Keenum | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Malcolm Brown | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Tavon Austin | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Benny Cunningham | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jeremy Kerley | 7 | 61 | 0 | 18 |
| Quinton Patton | 5 | 60 | 0 | 35 |
| Shaun Draughn | 2 | 18 | 0 | 11 |
| Garrett Celek | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Vance McDonald | 2 | 14 | 1 | 8 |
| Torrey Smith | 2 | 13 | 0 | 15 |
| Carlos Hyde | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Blaine Gabbert | 1 | -16 | 0 | -16 |
| LAR | ||||
| Kenny Britt | 4 | 67 | 0 | 22 |
| Brian Quick | 3 | 23 | 0 | 15 |
| Lance Kendricks | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Tavon Austin | 4 | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| Malcolm Brown | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Benny Cunningham | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Tyler Higbee | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Todd Gurley | 1 | -5 | 0 | -5 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2016 W1 - 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams - Game Thread
![49ers 2016 Season: Week 1 vs LA RAMS [THE BEATDOWN]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I2dsrAKsFEc/hqdefault.jpg)
