‘Whatever’: NFL coach defends glaring Aussie travel fail, $290m star makes worrying reveal

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay conceded his team was “humbled” by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL’s first regular season game in Australia on Friday.

McVay also responded to suggestions his club’s abrupt travel plans were to blame for the 27-7 loss at the MCG in Melbourne, while superstar recruit Myles Garrett made a concerning health reveal.

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Aside from their early-second-quarter touchdown and third-quarter drive that was stopped on fourth down on the goal line, the Rams were inept offensively.

And on the other side of the ball, they failed to quell 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who threw for three TDs in the blowout result.

Glaringly, LA’s seven (7) points were the fewest scored with Matthew Stafford under centre.

“Sometimes, sports can humble you. And today was one of those days. I make no excuses,” McVay told reporters at the MCG.

“And whether you want to say it’s about travel, whatever — we just weren’t good enough in that window. I didn’t coach good enough. And we’ll look at it, and we’ll move forward. And that’s where we’re at right now.

“But it was a great atmosphere. Give credit to the 49ers. They deserve it. And we’re 0-1, and we’ll move forward.”

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But despite arriving in Melbourne just 28 hours before kickoff, compared with San Francisco’s seven days of acclimatisation, McVay didn’t believe it to be a contributing factor in the loss.

“I know there’s going to be a lot of narratives that appropriately put the blame on me. We’ll move forward the right way,” he said.

“... I don’t believe (the travel plan) is why we didn’t play well enough. I really don’t.

“Listen, I’m more than comfortable. That’s something I’ll always make the decisions that I think are the best for the football team.

“It’s easy in hindsight to say it was a miss. Those are responsibilities that I’ll take. Then you’ve got to be able to look at it. I’ll always look at myself inside-out and figure out where I can improve.”

It comes after the Rams defensive players taunted the 49ers with a ‘sleeping’ celebration while leading 7-3 early in the game.

Meanwhile, superstar defensive end Myles Garrett, who failed to record a tackle in his Rams debut, was quick to defend his club’s travel strategy.

“No,” Garrett quipped back when asked if he wished the team planned alternatively.

“I don’t doubt the decision-making of my coach or my organisation.

“I think they did what was best for us, and we didn’t execute on the field when we needed to.”

Garrett also gave a damning assessment of his own performance, stating to media: “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better.”

It was just the fourth time in his decorated career that the two-time Defensive Player of the Year has finished a game with zero tackles and zero QB hits.

And Garrett revealed he’s not at 100 per cent health, following the knee issue he sustained in training camp.

“This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there,” he declared.

“I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to find out a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be.

“I wasn’t the player I wanted to be; I didn’t feel like I was the player I’ve been before when I stepped onto that field.

“I’ve got to do what I can to get back to that.”

Garrett was traded to the Rams in the offseason, signing a five-year deal worth AU$290.68 million.

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