Andrew Whitworth did not treat the Rams’ 27-7 season-opening loss to the 49ers as a reason to panic, but he also did not soften the message. The Rams’ Super Bowl-winning former left tackle said the defeat was a needed wake-up call, warning that a team cannot simply expect opponents to “bow down to you.”
The morning after the loss, Whitworth advised frustrated fans to R-E-L-A-X, and his broader point was clear: one bad game does not erase what the Rams are capable of, but it does expose how quickly the NFL can punish a slow start. Whitworth put it bluntly when he said the NFL has a way of humbling you very quickly.
A rough opener for a team with big expectations
The Rams entered the season with Super Bowl expectations, so the margin of the loss in Melbourne stood out. San Francisco controlled the game from the start, and the Rams never found much rhythm on either side of the ball.
Statistically, the numbers told the same story. The Rams finished with minus-0.289 expected points added per play and minus-0.454 EPA per attempt. They converted just 2 of 9 third downs, turned the ball over twice and scored once in three red-zone trips. The 49ers, meanwhile, piled up 379 yards and converted 7 of 12 third downs while holding the Rams to 155 yards and forcing one interception.
Why Whitworth is keeping perspective
Whitworth’s message was not that the loss was acceptable. It was that it was too early to treat it like a season-defining outcome. That idea fits recent history in Los Angeles. In 2023, the Rams went from 3-5 to 10-7. In 2024, they went from 1-4 to 10-7. The team has already shown it can recover from ugly stretches and still put together a strong season.
That is why Whitworth framed the opener as a wake-up call instead of a collapse. The Rams have earned the benefit of the doubt before, but they also have to prove it again. As Whitworth said, you can’t just show up and expect people to bow down to you.
What comes next
The next chance to respond comes Monday night, when the Rams are scheduled to play the 1-0 Giants at SoFi Stadium. That makes Week 2 an early test of whether the opener was just a stumble or the first sign of deeper problems.
For now, Whitworth’s warning is the one that matters most: the Rams have the talent to rebound, but they cannot assume the league will wait for them to get going.
