Myles Garrett’s highly anticipated debut for the Los Angeles Rams was a total bust, with the superstar defensive end calling his own performance “the worst version of myself” after their brutal 27-7 blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Garrett finished the NFC West matchup without a single tackle, a shocking stat for a guy who just set the NFL’s single-season sack record last year. Talk about a rough start.
Knee Trouble and Zero Tackles: Was This Worth The Trade?
Garrett didn’t pull any punches in his postgame press conference, admitting he’s “got to be better” and find a way “to get back to the player I know I can be.” Part of the issue? He wasn’t at “100% health wise,” dealing with a knee problem for the last month. “I didn’t feel like I was the player I’ve been before when I stepped onto that field,” he said. This is a five-time All-Pro, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who racked up an insane 23.0 sacks in 2025. The Rams gave up a massive haul for him in June, trading now-third-year defensive end Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-rounder, and a 2029 third-rounder to the Cleveland Browns. For that kind of price, you need way more than a goose egg on the tackle sheet, even with a nagging injury. He’s 30 now, but with 125.5 career sacks already, tying for 28th all-time, the potential is still there if he can get right.
Rams Get Smashed While Travel Talk Heats Up
The entire Rams squad looked out of sync in what was the first-ever NFL game played in Australia. The 49ers crushed them on the ground, rushing for 174 yards on a wild 5.8 yards per carry, and quarterback Brock Purdy threw three passing touchdowns. Overall, the Rams were outgained 379-290 in total yards. Head coach Sean McVay perfectly summed it up, calling the loss “a humbling day.” A big topic of conversation around the historic Melbourne game was the travel: the 49ers landed roughly a week before kickoff, while the Rams showed up only about 28 hours prior to the 10:35 a.m. local time kickoff. Maybe that played a role in the sluggish performance? Not exactly ideal for a team with new faces like Trent McDuffie, who did have a solid debut with four combined tackles and two passes defended after coming over from the Chiefs in March.
This team needs a turnaround, and fast. The good news is they’ll be at home for their Week 2 game against the New York Giants on September 21st, and that’s when eight-time All-Pro Aaron Donald is expected to make his season debut after two years away. Hopefully, Donald’s return, combined with Garrett finding his footing and getting healthy, can ignite this defense because Week 1 was a nightmare.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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