If you were hoping to find Myles Garrett’s name in the box score for his Los Angeles Rams debut, you won’t — he didn’t register a single conventional stat. Garrett, like most of his teammates, was part of a disappointing 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia — a result that undercuts preseason expectations for both the Rams and a crowded NFC West, with L.A. having been widely labeled Super Bowl favorites.
The outcome was particularly surprising given Garrett’s recent résumé: the two-time Defensive Player of the Year who set the NFL single-season sack mark last year finished the game with nothing. No sacks, no quarterback hits, no tackles or assist, no passes defended, and no forced or recovered fumbles — a flat performance after Los Angeles spent heavily to acquire him from Cleveland.
Afterward Garrett told reporters his knee, which limited him in training camp, isn’t fully healed, and he admitted he fell well short of his standard, saying this was the worst version of himself and that he needs to be better.
San Francisco’s offense benefitted from the lack of pressure. Brock Purdy entered halftime with a 10-7 edge after a 39-yard touchdown to Demarcus Robinson on a play where Purdy had plenty of time to throw, and the second half unraveled for the Rams. The 49ers opened the third quarter with a 51-yard, seven-play drive for a touchdown, then later went 99 yards for another score to push the lead to 24-7 and put the game out of reach early in the fourth. Purdy was never sacked and finished 25-of-34 for 205 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Preventing exactly this kind of game is why L.A. invested in Garrett, but he — like much of the defense Thursday — simply didn’t make an impact. That said, it isn’t time for alarm in Los Angeles. Quiet box scores aren’t unprecedented for Garrett; this was reportedly his fourth career game with zeros, with the others coming in 2023 and 2024, and they didn’t stop him from earning first-team All-Pro honors or from being regarded as one of the best defenders of his era. He’ll soon line up alongside Aaron Donald and return to playing in the Northern Hemisphere, and there’s reason to expect stronger performances ahead. Still, the lopsided loss raises immediate questions about the Rams’ Super Bowl credentials until they demonstrate otherwise — and that will require Garrett to return to his All-Pro form.
Fan Take: This matters because even elite defensive stars can have off nights, and a failure to generate pressure is often the single biggest factor that separates contenders from pretenders. If the Rams’ new pass-rush investment doesn’t start producing, it could reshape the NFC West pecking order and influence how teams prioritize defensive help in future trades and free-agent moves.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
