The Rams are getting Myles Garrett back, and that alone changes the feel of their defense. After seven games without him, Los Angeles has gone 4-3, and the hope is obvious: more veteran presence, more heat on the quarterback, and a unit that looks a lot more dangerous with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year back in the mix.
That return comes with a catch, though. The defense won’t get to enjoy its full offseason haul together, because Jaylen Watson is gone for the year after shoulder surgery. So while the Rams spent the offseason loading up with Garrett, Trent McDuffie, Watson, and Aaron Donald coming out of a two-year retirement, the group never gets to line up as the complete package.
Even so, Garrett’s presence can still tilt things. Byron Young hasn’t kept up the blistering pace he showed in 2025 and early this season, and Donald has been generating pressure without landing a sack. Garrett gives the Rams another way to make the pass rush feel less one-dimensional.
The timing matters because of who’s coming next: Jayden Daniels. The Commanders quarterback has been a problem on the ground, rushing 27 times for 236 yards and two touchdowns in five games. That’s 8.7 yards per carry, and that kind of production is exactly what Los Angeles can’t afford to let happen again.
The Rams already learned how dangerous a mobile quarterback can be when they couldn’t contain Josh Allen. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula had trouble slowing him down, and the loss followed. Washington has a clear blueprint if it wants one.
Garrett is the kind of edge rusher who can wreck that plan without needing to chase the stat line. He plays with discipline, sets the edge, keeps the pocket from spilling open, and forces runners back into traffic. That’s the part of the job Los Angeles missed against Allen, when Josaiah Stewart took inside routes too often and left the outside lane open for Allen to exploit.
Garrett might not pile up a sack in Week 9, and that may not be the point. If his knee holds up and he can help keep Daniels from turning the edge into a runway, the Rams have a real chance to control the game on the road.
In Other News...
Justin Herbert Drama Just Gave Rams Fans Even More To Talk About
Quentin Lakes postgame criticism of Justin Herbert added another layer to a crosstown matchup that already carried plenty of edge for Rams fans. After the Chargers loss to the Rams, Lake took aim at Herbert following an interception, then later apologized to the quarterback, turning a sharp on-field moment into a bigger conversation about how the game was being viewed from both sidelines.
Herbert and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh both answered back, with Harbaugh defending his quarterbacks performance and pushing back on the criticism. Even with Herberts uneven season drawing scrutiny, the larger picture in Los Angeles remains unchanged for now, since reports say the Chargers have no intention of trading him. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Injury Report Just Put Matthew Stafford Under A Bigger Spotlight
Sean McVay spent part of his latest availability putting some guardrails around the concern that flared up after Matthew Stafford was seen with ice on his throwing arm following the game. The Rams officially listed Stafford with an elbow injury, but McVay framed it as routine maintenance rather than a setback, noting that the quarterback has been a full participant in practice and has not missed any reps.
For a team that leans so heavily on Staffords arm and command, any injury note naturally draws attention, especially when it lands on the same part of the body that matters most to his game. McVay said Staffords performance has not been affected, which is the part the Rams care about most, even if the injury report keeps the conversation alive for now. [Read more 🡒]
Myles Garrett Puts Rams Defensive Momentum To The Test Sunday
The Rams have spent much of the season trying to build on defensive momentum, and Sunday offers another good measuring stick for how real it is. One of the weeks more intriguing individual battles has Los Angeles edge rusher Myles Garrett lined up against Washington tackle Brandon Coleman, a matchup that could shape how often the Commanders can stay on schedule and how much pressure the Rams can generate without having to overcommit elsewhere.
Garrett has been the kind of force offenses have to account for snap after snap, and the Rams will be watching closely to see whether that edge presence translates into the kind of disruption that changes a game plan. With Washington dealing with the challenge of protecting Coleman against one of the leagues most disruptive defenders, this is the sort of test that can either reinforce what Los Angeles has been building or expose how much work still remains. [Read more 🡒]