Talk about a gut punch. Myles Garrett, the guy the Los Angeles Rams paid top dollar for this offseason, the reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year who set the NFL’s single-season sack record last season, just dropped an absolute dud in his debut. We’re talking a complete blank in the box score during a brutal 27-7 shellacking by the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Not a single sack. Not a quarterback hit. No tackles, no assists, no passes defended, no forced fumbles, no recoveries. Nothing. Zeroes across the board. If you were looking for his name, you weren’t going to find it.
The “Worst Version” That Shocked Everyone
This isn’t just a bad game for a new guy. This is Myles Garrett, arguably the best defender of his generation, failing to register a single statistical impact. The Rams, who were preseason Super Bowl favorites for crying out loud, got absolutely gashed, and their big-money acquisition was nowhere to be found. Garrett admitted it himself after the game, telling reporters he’s not 100% from a knee issue that limited him in camp. But he didn’t sugarcoat it, saying, “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better.” It’s a jarring start for a team with such high hopes and a player with such an elite reputation.
Purdy and the Niners Feasted on Zero Pressure
You want to know why the 49ers offense looked so good? Because they faced practically zero pressure all game. Brock Purdy had all the time in the world. Just look at the first-half touchdown, a 39-yard connection to Demarcus Robinson, where Purdy was chilling in the pocket. That was a sign of things to come. The Niners blew the game wide open after halftime. They marched 51 yards on seven plays for Purdy’s second touchdown, and after a goal-line stand by their own defense, they went 99 yards for another score, taking a 24-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. Purdy finished the day 25-of-34 for 205 yards, 3 touchdowns, and only 1 interception. He didn’t take a single sack. That’s the exact type of performance Garrett was brought in to prevent, and it’s a huge problem.
Now, is it time to hit the panic button in Los Angeles? Probably not *yet*. Garrett has posted games with zeroes across the board before, four times in his career now. And those previous three times, from 2023 and 2024, didn’t stop him from being named first-team All-Pro. Plus, he’ll soon be sharing the defensive line with Aaron Donald, which is a game-changer. There will undoubtedly be much better days ahead for Garrett and the Rams. But that 27-7 loss? It was jarring, no doubt, and it’s absolutely raising questions about their Super Bowl viability until they prove otherwise. The NFC West just got a whole lot more interesting after that shocking opener.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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