The Los Angeles Rams are already in a nightmare scenario, just one week into the season, after head coach Sean McVay announced there’s no timetable for Myles Garrett’s return. Garrett is headed to injured reserve and will be out for at least four weeks after knee surgery. This is a brutal hit for a team that walked into the season as the clear Super Bowl favorite, and now that status is totally in question.
Garrett’s Ghostly Debut and the Defensive Black Hole
Man, what even happened in Australia? The Rams played a “weird game” down under, losing after gambling that an aggressive travel plan wouldn’t mess with them. Spoiler: it obviously did. But the real gut punch came after the game. Myles Garrett, arguably the best defensive player in the NFL, posted a grand total of zero stats in his quiet Rams debut. Not a single one! Then he said his knee wasn’t feeling right, and a few days later, boom, knee surgery. Losing Garrett, even for a few weeks, changes everything. Remember, they traded Jared Verse to Cleveland in the Garrett deal, so now they’ve got a massive hole at defensive end. How much of a force can Aaron Donald be, returning from two years off, without Garrett commanding double teams? The 49ers just shredded them for 379 yards, with no problems through the air or on the ground. Maybe it was all Australia, but for a team that was supposed to be a juggernaut, that’s just flat-out concerning.
Age Cliffs and Fading Stars: Is the Dream Over Already?
It’s not just Garrett’s injury, though that’s massive. Matthew Stafford is 38 years old, and he looked absolutely awful in the opener. Last season, he won an NFL MVP at 37, just like Rich Gannon did. But Gannon only threw nine touchdowns the rest of his career after his MVP year. The age cliff is real, folks, and it comes for everyone. Then there’s Davante Adams, 33, who was a complete non-factor against the 49ers. When your top-heavy team’s biggest stars are either hurt, looking their age, or just plain disappearing, you have to worry. We’re only one week in, and the Rams’ standing as not just the Super Bowl favorite, but even the favorite in the NFC West, is hanging by a thread. That affects *our* Seahawks too, right? This division just got a whole lot more interesting.
Week 2 Showdown: Can They Even Keep Up?
Yeah, I know, don’t overreact to Week 1. The Raiders won their opener last season and went 3-14, while the Patriots lost and went 14-3. Weird stuff happens early. But this feels different for the Rams. Their star power is questionable, and their defense has a huge hole. This Monday night, they face the Giants, who looked solid in their opening win against the Cowboys. That’s not an easy matchup anymore. We might not get a clear picture of who the Rams truly are until Garrett is back and playing like himself. Until then, every game is a battle for a team that was supposed to be on easy street. Keep your eyes peeled on Monday, 12s, because the NFC West just got a lot spicier!
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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