Much was made of the San Francisco 49ers' decision to travel to Melbourne, Australia, over a week early to help the team and coaching staff overcome the massive time difference and jet lag of the long trip from California to Down Under.
All that was exacerbated by the Los Angeles Rams taking the opposite tactic, arriving in Melbourne as if it were a regular road trip so as not to throw off their rhythm for the rest of the season.
Nobody could agree on what the "right" decision was, as everyone from fans to physicians weighed in on the choice.
But whether or not it did the correct thing in making the earlier jaunt to Australia, San Francisco was vindicated by its rather dominant 27-7 win over Los Angeles on Thursday night (or Friday morning if you happened to be in Melbourne that day).
Of course, the fact that the Niners won the game doesn't equal causation regarding their decision, but the way in which they did it certainly suggested that the Rams were more sluggish than the 49ers, almost from the opening kickoff.
49ers' decision to travel early to Australia ultimately paid off
Los Angeles got the ball first on offense, and the now-healthy 49ers defense took the Rams to task, forcing a 3-and-out. Kyle Shanahan's offense responded in kind, marching down the field to the tune of 15 plays for 65 yards on its opening drive that ended with an Eddy Pineiro chip-shot field goal to give the Niners the early lead.
And while the Rams would take a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter through a quick 4-play drive that spanned 57 yards in just under two minutes, they wouldn't score again, as the Niners rattled off 24 unanswered points, mostly in the second half, to secure the victory.
The Rams never looked settled on either side of the ball, as their stars, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Puka Nacua, and especially new edge rusher Myles Garrett, had very little impact on the game.
Sure, you can chalk it up to the fact none of those players saw much of the field, if at all, during the preseason, and this isn't to suggest the Rams are cooked after Week 1.
But on this day, the 49ers looked fresher and more prepared for the matchup, securing a win that puts them in a good position in the NFC West dogfight after one week.
Maybe in the end, the Rams will prove their decision was correct because it won't impact the larger season as much. But the Niners have plenty of time to reacclimate to Pacific Time, and their next three games are home, followed by a short trip to Seattle in Week 5 to face the Seahawks, so that seems unlikely.
For now, it's pretty clear the 49ers' brass made the right decision, and they'll have a much happier plane ride back to California than the Rams will.
Of that, there's no doubt.
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