Just three days after getting absolutely hammered by the San Francisco 49ers in their season opener, the Los Angeles Rams took a massive hit. Star edge rusher Myles Garrett just underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and is heading straight to injured reserve. That means he’s out for at least four games, and believe me, this is a gut punch for them right out of the gate. The Ringer broke the news, and FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer quickly confirmed it.
The Blunt Truth from Myles
We all saw it on Thursday, right? Garrett looked off. FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer confirmed what we suspected, saying Garrett “didn’t do a lot of practice in this training camp” because of a knee injury. He just “wasn’t right” against Trent Williams, so the team pulled the trigger on surgery. Garrett himself didn’t pull any punches after that brutal 27-7 loss to the 49ers. He told reporters, “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there.” He owned it, saying he needed “to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be.” He logged zero tackles, zero sacks, zero quarterback hits. Man, that is NOT the Myles Garrett they traded a slew of draft picks for in the offseason, the former Cleveland Browns star. He even said, “I wasn’t the player that I wanted to be. I didn’t feel like I was the player I’ve been before when I stepped onto that field. I got to do what I can to get back to that.”
McVay’s Outback Blunder?
Now, about that 49ers game. The Rams decided to arrive in Australia for that matchup literally the day before the game. What were they thinking? FOX Sports NFL analyst Michael Strahan isn’t holding back. He thinks this travel plan, combined with Garrett’s injury and a tough schedule, was a huge mistake. Strahan pointed out, “This team lost by 20 points. This team, last year, lost five games by a combined 17 points.” That’s a huge difference! He flat out said, “I think Sean McVay is kicking himself for making the decision to fly at the last minute.” And here’s the kicker for us, 12s, “Also, in this division, probably the toughest division in football, you put yourself in a quagmire because now you’re behind Seattle already and you just lost to the 49ers.” Yeah, you heard that right. Already behind us. Strahan thinks this is “a game you’re going to regret down the road.” With Garrett sidelined, they’re set to face the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills, all 2025 playoff teams. Brutal.
Aaron Donald to the Rescue?
Strahan isn’t hitting the panic button completely, though. Why? Aaron Donald. Yeah, the big man is back. Strahan believes Donald will eventually “get his feet under him,” even if he imagines Donald thinking, “I came back, but this isn’t what I came back for” with Garrett out. Everyone saw the Rams as a “super team,” a “super defense” after that blockbuster trade for Garrett. This setback is massive, no doubt. But with Donald’s return looming large, they’ve got to hope he can stabilize that D-line fast. It takes time to get back in form, especially after being out for so long.
The Rams host the New York Giants in Week 2, and after this gut punch, they’ve got to find a way to stop the bleeding. They’re already playing catch-up in what Strahan called the toughest division in football, and they’re staring at a tough schedule without a key defensive star. Our Hawks have a chance to really pull ahead early. Let’s see if McVay can turn things around, or if this early season regret just keeps piling up.
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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