No Panic Inside Rams' Building Despite Rough Start

One week into 2026, the Los Angeles Rams have already been hit with adversity.

After spending an offseason receiving so much hype, the Rams were embarrassed by the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener, leading to trolling on social media. Days later, star pass rusher Myles Garrett landed on Injured Reserve and will miss at least the next month after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Ahead of the Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants, the preseason Super Bowl favorites aren’t worried, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who reported on the temperature inside the building.

“I don’t, however, sense heavy panic from the Rams, who seemed to approach the Australia trip with the excitement of a teenager asked to take out the trash,” Fowler said. “49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris knows the Rams’ offense well, so San Francisco’s ability to stymie Matthew Stafford shouldn’t be a total shock.

“The Myles Garrett situation is more alarming. The Rams thought they could manage his knee injury with rest all camp and preseason, and it got exposed in Week 1. It leaves some uneasiness that they perhaps should have had this injury surgically repaired a tad sooner. But the Rams have plenty of defensive talent to offset the Garrett loss.”

The Rams defense will face the high-powered offenses of the Giants, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills in the next few weeks without Garrett. Aaron Donald’s potential season debut in Week 2 could bring a spark, but that doesn’t change that other players will need to step up in Garrett’s absence.

It will be interesting to see what adjustments defensive coordinator Chris Shula makes after the Rams struggled to stop the run in Week 1, allowing 174 yards on 30 carries. It will also be worth watching whether the Rams use more man coverage. The Rams didn’t add former Kansas City Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason to play mostly zone coverage.

That is just the defense. Head coach Sean McVay must get the offense clicking, and it starts with quarterback Matthew Stafford, who couldn’t get anything going in the pass game. The only bright spot on offense was the interior offensive line and running game with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.

Losing Garrett is tough, but the defense has enough talent to hold up while he’s out. If adjustments are made and the air attack returns to form, the Rams should be fine by the time Garrett returns.

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