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The Los Angeles Rams witnessed the full impact of a healthy Myles Garrett on their defensive line in their recent matchup against the Washington Commanders. After missing nearly two months with a knee injury, Garrett returned to the field and demonstrated exactly why the Rams acquired him via trade.
Even though Garrett participated in only 60 percent of the defensive plays, his presence was undeniable. He logged 28 pass-rush snaps and recorded three sacks, including a forced fumble. The explosiveness and flexibility that were absent in Week 1 were clearly evident against Washington.
In his comeback game, Garrett generated a 21.4 percent pressure rate and produced six pressures. His 28.6 percent pass-rush win rate topped all edge rushers for the week. The Rams brought Garrett in to be their closer, and two of his three sacks occurred in the fourth quarter. His third sack came on a third-and-4 play, setting up a fourth-and-17 and helping to halt a late Commanders surge.
How Myles Garrett Is Unlocking Aaron Donald
A key reason Aaron Donald ended his retirement was the opportunity to play alongside Garrett. The wait of two months proved worthwhile. It's no coincidence that Donald's best game of the season coincided with Garrett's return. For much of his career, opposing offenses had to focus heavily on Donald, but that became difficult with Garrett rushing from the edge.
Donald finished Sunday's game with a season-high four pressures and a 12.9 percent pressure rate. Head coach Sean McVay remarked, "Myles obviously did a great job, but I thought AD had a couple awesome things that allowed him to be able to get some one-on-ones and get freed up and thought the plan that we had was really beneficial. Yesterday was the first day that it was on tape of how you're deploying Myles. It may or may not be the same or different as you continue to increase his snap count as he's feeling better and getting back to being able to play that workload that he's been accustomed to throughout his whole career, but it was very impactful as was AD."
How the Rams Are Using Myles Garrett to Create Mismatches
By utilizing Garrett primarily in pass-rush situations, the Rams gained more flexibility in how they deployed him. Throughout the game, defensive coordinator Chris Shula occasionally positioned Garrett over the center. This tactic was sometimes used with Verse, but Garrett also found success doing it in Cleveland. Garrett lined up over the center on four plays against the Commanders, recording two pressures, creating a pressure for Donald on a stunt, and notching one sack. Garrett's size and speed make it extremely difficult for the average center to block him one-on-one.
Why Myles Garrett Could Be a Nightmare for the Cardinals
The Rams are likely to exploit this advantage again this week against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have been without Hjalte Froholdt and Jon Gaines in practice due to injuries, which would leave Hayden Conner as the third-string center and technically the fourth-string guard. With the Rams missing their top two wide receivers, they may need to lean more on their defense. While the defense has been solid for much of the season, Garrett has helped elevate it to the next level that many have been anticipating. Garrett's presence could be enough to carry the Rams over the next month until their offense gets healthy again.