The Rams are going through a tough patch, to say the least.
They faced a significant setback on Thursday when the 49ers decisively defeated them, the score being 27-7. And now, ahead of their next game on Sunday, they’re placing Myles Garrett, their major offseason acquisition, on Injured Reserve.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year had already been hampered by a knee injury during training camp. He will need arthroscopic surgery on that knee and will be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks.
Garrett didn’t make much of an impact in his debut for the Rams down in Australia—he had no statistics to report during the game, which is, well, not typical for him at all. This raises questions about the team’s decision to let him play in the season opener when he clearly wasn’t at his best.
Given this situation, sports commentators have started voicing their concerns. For instance, Skip Bayless tweeted about the injury challenges facing the Rams, highlighting how unexpected this turn of events is for a team that was considered a strong contender for the Super Bowl. The remark about Aaron Donald suggests a level of frustration within the squad about the difficulties they’re facing early in the season.
Field Yates pointed out that both Myles Garrett and AJ Brown, who was traded to the Patriots, have ended up on IR after just one game. It’s certainly not the start either player would have hoped for after such major offseason moves.
Josina Anderson echoed this sentiment, asking questions about Garrett’s condition now that he’s facing a lengthy recovery process. Meanwhile, there’s some talk about how divisional rivals might cope with injury troubles, especially in light of similar setbacks on other teams.
In terms of performance, Garrett had a disappointing game against the 49ers—he recorded three pressures but no sacks or tackles. It’s a stark contrast to what the Rams had hoped for, and their playoff chances have reportedly dipped from 83% to 51% after this opening game.
Someone on social media shared their frustration about the management of Garrett’s injury situation, implying there might have been better ways to handle it. They have now shifted focus to Josiah Stewart, suggesting it’s his time to step up during Garrett’s absence.
With these challenges, the Rams are far from where they envisioned themselves at the start of the season. Head coach Sean McVay described the experience as “humbling” and seems to hope it will serve as a catalyst for improvement moving forward. The next few weeks will be crucial as they navigate the season without their star player.
