And just like that, the NFL season is underway. Last night, the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots to kickoff the 2026 regular season exactly how the 2025 season ended – though the previous game had a lot higher stakes as Seattle claimed the Super Bowl championship. After a Wednesday start to the season, the league returns to their normal Thursday night game with tonight’s contest featuring the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.
This is not just another game, however. The NFC
West showdown is the first regular season game from Australia – meaning the Thursday Night Football game is actually being played Friday morning locally.
All of our contributors went 1-0 to start the season, with everyone picking the Seahawks to win. We continue with our season-long predictions now with tonight’s game.
Week 1 – Thursday night
San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia
When: 8:35 p.m. Eastern, Thursday, September 10
Streaming Coverage: Netflix
Odds (via FanDuel Sportsbook): Rams -3.5 / 48.5 total points
2026 Standings
(Through Wednesday, Week 1)
Sumeet Jena (1-0)
James McKinney (1-0)
Marek Brave (1-0)
Kevin Nogle (1-0)
The Phinsider Community (1-0)
