I was trying to gauge how long it takes to get there. It’s a 15 to 20 hour flight from basically both LAX and SFO, and flying from New York or New Jersey tacks on another 5 hours. Flying from the West Coast takes around 17 hours according to my calculation over Sunday breakfast with my dad. He stated that tourists probably stay there a couple weeks or more to make the trip worthwhile. That’s how the San Francisco 49ers are planning for Week 1, because they are there practicing today.

The Rams have a totally different plan. They fly to Melbourne the day before kickoff, get set for the game on Thursday, and then take another flight back home on Friday. Granted, one does feel energized when traveling through time zones, and so they’ll have no real time to get used to any climate issues or adjust to that time zone.

LA is preparing for the game in Los Angeles while the Niners are at the field in Australia practicing there all week. The Rams in general have always had many travel miles every year. Everyone that has to come to LA can deal in one-off’s, while the Rams have to travel to Central USA and also handle our constant travel for games on the East Coast, which can be grueling at times. Now we face travel time that is longer than a half day but in the opposite part of the world.

An Australian game with two different strategies. I must admit that I am a bit weird about it, considering there is no time for error and delay. I am also on the fence whether Aaron Donald will get any play time. I can bet the house that he wants to play and he wants to play sooner than later. I am very curious to see what he’s got this season. Donald is not only traveling with the team, coach Sean McVay did not provide any updates during Sunday’s media hour. I have not even seen him play at all this year. I did not see any practice sessions with him at play. I have not seen him play since that day the team won the Super Bowl. Although, we did get to see a totally drunk while being half clothed Aaron Donald at the parade.

The players will have access to beds I am sure during flights to and from Australia.

Nacua and Jackson Expected to Play

On another note, the Rams expect both Puka Nacua and Alaric Jackson to play against the 49ers in Australia despite both of their off-field incidents. Nacua was sued by a woman who alleges that he ‘grabbed her by the pussy’ so to speak while he made an antisemitic remark and again, felt some need to bite her on the shoulder during a New Year’s Eve incident, and Jackson was arrested in June but not charged after a domestic violence incident came and went. The District Attorney has not gone ahead with those charges.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay expects both star wide receiver Puka Nacua and left tackle Alaric Jackson to be on the field this week in Melbourne.

McVay confirmed in that Sunday media session that he doesn’t think either player will be suspended for the team’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Jackson will most likely face a 4 to 6 game suspension this year, whereas I do not believe Puka will get any.

“Absolutely,” McVay said Sunday when asked if he thought both players would be available, via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “That’s what I’ve heard. I haven’t heard anything different.”

I am not really into rehashing those behaviors of either player. We let it play out naturally, and I have the greatest hope they will not act that way again toward women. Someone did file a lawsuit against Nacua earlier this year over the antisemitic remark and biting allegations described above, which is odd behavior that again, I hope is behind the adult who makes a lot of money every year, to not use racial slurs and to not bite anyone, let alone a woman. The woman’s suit claims gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence. Nacua denied the allegations, though he did enter rehab to help work through it.

Worth noting since this has kept moving, an ex-girlfriend also came forward with separate abuse allegations covering their four year relationship, posted publicly on September 1. Neither the Rams nor the NFL has announced any discipline connected to either situation as of this writing.

Nacua was also involved in several incidents last season, including appearing on a live stream before a game and agreeing to perform an antisemitic touchdown celebration. In his defense, he states that he did not know it was antisemitic. I’ve explained Puka many times. He is a kid. He acts like a kid. He does need to grow up now that he has one of the best jobs ever made in the history of jobs. He entered a so called holistic care facility this past offseason to focus on his personal maturity level and has been practicing and preparing for the 2026 campaign normally with the Rams.

Nacua also had a career-high 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with a league-high 129 catches.

Jackson was arrested on domestic violence charges in June. He was not charged with the felony, however, and his case was assigned for a pre-filing diversion program as an alternative to misdemeanor criminal prosecution. Therefore, he must learn how to act like an adult, or he faces those charges if he fails to complete it. Jackson is entering his sixth season in the league. The former Iowa star signed a three-year, $57 million extension this year.

Both Jackson’s case and Nacua’s case are under review by the NFL. The league could still hand down punishment and suspend either or both players before Thursday’s game in Australia (8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix). Like I alluded to above, Jackson will get hit because the league has always suspended him for personal incidents off the field before. The Rams know what is up and what to expect, but when it happens could be any minute.

How to Watch, Listen, and Stream

Everyone can watch, listen to, and live stream Rams vs. 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, in Week 1 on Sept. 10, 2026. The game will air on Netflix and also on the Sunset app. Kickoff for Thursday night’s game is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Pacific time.

The Last Time These Two Met

The Rams and 49ers last met in Week 10 of the 2025 season, a 42-26 Rams victory in San Francisco. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns, with wide receivers Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, along with tight ends Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen, on the receiving end of those touchdowns. Running back Kyren Williams had 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Blake Corum added 56 yards on the ground. Defensively, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. had an interception and led the team with two pass breakups. Inside linebacker Nate Landman had two tackles for loss and 11 total tackles, tied for the team lead with safety Quentin Lake and inside linebacker Omar Speights.

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