S³ NFL | Garrett’s Surgery Changes Everything
The Los Angeles Rams entered the season with expectations of fielding one of the most frightening defensive fronts in NFL history. Myles Garrett, fresh off a record-breaking 23-sack season, was supposed to join Aaron Donald and terrorize quarterbacks across the league.
That vision is now on hold.
Garrett will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and be placed on injured reserve. He will miss at least four games against the Giants, Broncos, Eagles and Bills. This is a major blow to the Rams and dedicated NFL fans who were expecting to witness a potentially historic season from Garrett and Donald together.
The warning signs were visible throughout training camp. Garrett repeatedly dealt with swelling in his knee before playing only 40 defensive snaps in Los Angeles’ 27-7 loss to San Francisco. He finished without a tackle or sack and admitted that he was more concerned with protecting his knee than attacking the offense.
Now another question hangs over the Rams: Does Aaron Donald still want to complete his comeback?
Donald returned at 35 years old for a championship run and the opportunity to play beside Garrett. Sean McVay insists Donald’s situation is separate, and Garrett’s injury is not currently considered season-ending. For those reasons, Donald will likely continue preparing to play. However, if Garrett’s recovery takes longer than expected and the Rams begin falling out of contention, retirement could become a serious question again.
Week 2 suddenly looks dangerous
The Rams will face the New York Giants on Monday Night Football without Garrett and possibly without Donald.
New York opened its season by defeating Dallas 28-20. The Giants produced 394 total yards, rushed for 165 and converted nine of their first 10 third-down opportunities. Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns while adding 54 yards on the ground.
That balanced attack is exactly what Los Angeles does not want to see. The Rams surrendered 174 rushing yards to San Francisco, failed to record a sack and struggled to control the line of scrimmage.
The Giants can now attack Los Angeles with Cam Skattebo’s physical running, Dart’s mobility and play-action passes to Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely. If New York controls possession again, Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ offense could spend another game watching from the sideline.
S³ Verdict
The Rams’ championship dream is not dead, but their margin for error disappeared after one game. Garrett must recover without complications, Donald must prove that he is physically ready, and Los Angeles must survive a difficult four-game stretch.
What was supposed to be the beginning of a record-breaking defensive season has quickly become a fight to keep the Rams’ season from unraveling.
S³ Early Prediction: Giants 27, Rams 24.
