“Myles is good. I’ve seen him in there, he physically looks good,” McVay said recently to the press. “He’s got a good look in his eye. It’s been good having him in and out of a lot of the meetings while he’s attacking his rehab. He’s making good progress, but as far as a specific timeline, I’m not ready to give you guys that. As soon as I have those things I’ll give you guys updates.”

Garrett was placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery when he was unable to fully recover from a knee injury. Given their current situation, the Rams urgently need their stars back, as they will also be without Aaron Donald in Week 4.

What injury did Garrett suffer?

Myles Garrett had a rough start to his time with the Rams, playing through a nagging knee issue in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers that clearly held him back—he ended up putting up a complete stat sheet donut with 0 tackles, 0 sacks, and 0 QB pressures on 27 pass-rush snaps.

After pushing through the pain and admitting he was far from 100%, he underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery right after the game to clean up persistent swelling that had bothered him since training camp. The procedure landed him on injured reserve, meaning Los Angeles will be without its star pass rusher until at least mid-season while he fully heals.

The Rams need Garrett back

Sean McVay’s defense desperately needs Garrett back because their pass rush has been completely neutralized through the first three weeks. Even though the unit ranks well in total yards allowed, they’ve managed just 3 total sacks over three games—putting them near the absolute bottom of the NFL (tied for 28th).

Without Garrett’s game-disrupting presence on the edge to force quick throws, opposing quarterbacks are comfortable in the pocket, which has bled into critical situations—allowing a high 43.6% third-down conversion rate.

For a team sitting at 1-2 and relying on young defensive linemen to carry the load, getting their $210M star back is the only way to re-establish a true lethal edge and take the heat off their secondary.

Key takeaways

• Sean McVay announced no exact timeline for Myles Garrett’s return from injury.
• The star pass rusher underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery after Week 1.
• LA’s defense has recorded just 3 total sacks through three games.

“Do I love the fact that we’ve played three games and came up short in a couple of them? No, of course not,” McVay said to the press. “But what I also know is this: There’s been other moments that it seems like you’re in some storms, but this too shall pass, and let’s do the next right thing. Let’s lean in.

“What kind of lens do we want to see this through? Do we want to see this as, this is happening to me or for me, and how can I learn from it, how can I grow? It’s a challenge for me: What kind of leader do I want to be for this group?”

With a difficult matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles ahead, where they will be without Aaron Donald, the Rams have a great opportunity to even their record. McVay, a young head coach with plenty of experience, knows that they can grow through adversity.

“Do I want to go through that adversity? No, but this is what we’re going through,” he added. “That’s what makes it meaningful. When things come easy, sometimes when you have success you become less resilient. I do not like it but I do know that’s where the real growth occurs.”

Rams must quickly make adjustments

If the Rams want to get back in the win column, it all comes down to tightening up a few key areas that have cost them recently. For starters, the offense needs to clean up the third-down struggles—converting under 35% on third downs just won’t cut it when you need to sustain long scoring drives and keep the defense rested.

Speaking of defense, they’ve gotta tighten up in the red zone, where opponents have been punching it in for touchdowns over 65% of the time, leaving zero margin for error. If McVay can re-establish a reliable run game—aiming to hit that 100+ rushing yard threshold—it’ll take massive pressure off Stafford, open up play-action, and put LA right back in control.

What’s next for the Rams?

Here is the upcoming 4-game stretch for the Los Angeles Rams as they push through the regular season:

• Oct 4, 2026: at Philadelphia Eagles (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)
• Oct 12, 2026: vs Buffalo Bills (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood)
• Oct 18, 2026: vs Arizona Cardinals (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood)
• Oct 25, 2026: at Las Vegas Raiders (Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas)

It’s a tough mix of heavy-hitting East Coast trips and high-stakes home matchups at SoFi Stadium, so they’ll need to lock in fast to keep pace in the NFC playoff hunt.

Key takeaways

• 1-2 record for the Los Angeles Rams after three weeks of play.
• Sean McVay expressed frustration with early losses while praising team resilience.
• Under 35% third-down conversion rate highlights the offense’s recent struggles.

After being ruled doubtful for Sunday’s matchup in Denver, McVay claimed that he thinks Nacua could return by Week 4 for the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The four-year veteran still needs more time to recover, but Los Angeles does not appear to be discussing a trip to injured reserve for now. “Sean McVay believes that, barring a setback, Puka Nacua could return next week vs. the Eagles,” Schefter reported.

ESPN’s Sarah Barshop broke the news that the two-time Pro Bowler missed Friday’s practice, which led to his doubtful ruling for Sunday. That leaves Matthew Stafford throwing to Davante Adams as his No. 1 wide receiver for at least one more week. “Puka Nacua will not practice and will be listed as doubtful for the game against the Broncos,” Barshop reported.

What happened to Puka Nacua?

The Rams star sustained the injury during a Thursday practice heading into the Week 2 matchup against the Giants. The team quickly ruled him out for that game, and the injury has lasted longer than the club had hoped. The good news is that L.A. has not considered placing him on IR.

Whenever Puka Nacua does return from injury, he will aim to bounce back from his cold performance in the season opener. In his one game of action this year, Nacua recorded five receptions for 74 yards off nine targets.

While McVay reassured reporters that there is no structural concern or risk of a long-term absence, the decision to hold him back highlights the team’s commitment to ensuring he returns at 100% rather than risking a lingering soft-tissue aggravation.

Nacua’s replacement

Matthew Stafford and the Rams are trending toward not having Puka Nacua for a second week in a row. However, Nacua’s replacement, Jordan Whittington, is expected to be back in Week 3 of the NFL season against the Broncos.

Moreover, Stafford figures to have his top tight end, Colby Parkinson. That does not negate the potential loss of Nacua or safety Kam Kinchens, but it helps. “Rams WR Jordan Whittington (quad) will be back this week, Sean McVay said, while TE Colby Parkinson will go through today’s jog-through and is ‘trending in the right direction,'” LA Daily News reporter Adam Grosbard posted on X on September 25, adding, “S Kam Kinchens will be doubtful for Sunday.”

“I’m hopeful that he’ll play,” McVay said, via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times. “If he’s ready to go, great. If not, then we’ll continue to roll.” Nacua was listed as questionable for Monday Night Football and was ultimately inactive for the matchup.

“You have to redirect your whole kind of plans, and you almost have to operate where it’s like, ‘All right, if [Nacua] plays it’s a bonus, but we can’t count on him playing even though we were hopeful that there might be a chance,” the coach also added. “It really just boiled down to … when you have soft tissue injuries with guys like that, that are skill players, you’re going to err on the side of caution.”

Nacua’s absence in Week 2 was more than adequately covered by Davante Adams at SoFi Stadium. However, if McVay can have his two biggest aerial weapons on the field in Denver, Sean Payton will undoubtedly have plenty of reasons to worry.

What injury is Nacua dealing with?

Puka Nacua‘s status took a turn late in the week when a hip and groin issue popped up, ultimately ruling him inactive for Week 2 against the Giants. After making five catches for 74 yards in the season opener against San Francisco, Nacua had been dealing with psoas soreness through August and didn’t feel quite right during Thursday’s practice.

When he held out on Friday and Saturday with compounding hip and groin tightness, Sean McVay and the medical staff decided to play it safe rather than push him out there on Monday Night Football. It left Matthew Stafford leaning heavily on Davante Adams in the passing game, though early signs point to the move being a precautionary measure to prevent a nagging lower-body injury from lingering deeper into the season.

What lies beyond the Broncos?

The Rams are heading into a pretty grueling stretch of games over the next month. It all kicks off with a trip into the high altitude to take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday, September 27 at Empower Field at Mile High. Right after that road test, they stay on the highway for another tough matchup when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, October 4 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Once those back-to-back road trips are out of the way, they finally return home to Inglewood. First up at SoFi Stadium is a heavy-hitting prime-time clash against the Buffalo Bills on Monday, October 12. To wrap up this four-game stretch, they stay right there at home to host their division rival, the Arizona Cardinals, on Sunday, October 18.

Key takeaways

• Sean McVay expressed hope that his receiver will return against Denver.
• A hip and groin issue sidelined the wideout following five catches in Week 1.
• Los Angeles visits the Broncos on September 27 at Empower Field at Mile High.

“The game really wasn’t as fast as I thought,” Donald said after the game, via the team’s website. “It was more of me calming myself down, overrunning stuff or just my feet not being in the ground how they supposed to be, not trusting my eyes, little stuff like that.

“But playing the game, when I held out in ’17, ’18 it was the same way when I came back, it took a couple games to get going. It’s a little different. I ain’t played in two years, so I gotta watch the film, see what I did good, see what I did wrong, and just clean it up.”

Donald did not travel to Melbourne for Week 1, precisely so he could be in the best possible physical condition. His return did not disappoint: the Rams defeated the Giants on Monday Night Football, and they are hopeful of having a great season.

Donald’s highly anticipated return

Coming out of a two-year retirement, Aaron Donald made his debut in the Rams‘ 28-6 blowout against the Giants and picked up right where he left off. Playing on a disciplined snap count, he logged 32 total snaps (14 against the run, 18 on pass rushes) and dropped a solid stat line with 3 total tackles, including a tackle for loss on Najee Harris that forced a huge third-down stop.

He also generated a pressure on the quarterback, keeping his ridiculous career streak intact of never finishing a game with zero pressures. Also his average get-off time on pass rush snaps was an insane 0.75 seconds—the third-fastest mark by any defensive tackle in the league so far this season.

McVay knows Donald makes everyone better

Donald’s return has several positive aspects for the Rams, not only because he is one of the greatest players in NFL history at his position, but also because of the emotional boost he provides to his teammates. Sean McVay has the privilege of coaching him once again, and he knows Donald is an important boost for this team.

“I was asked about that at the very beginning, and he just elevates people he’s around, situations he’s a part of,” McVay said. “… And I just think it’s one of those deals that you get an opportunity to say, ‘just watch what the hell I do, follow my freaking lead,’ and that’s what this guy does. I love him.”

What’s next for the Rams?

The Rams have a busy couple of weeks ahead: first, they head into the altitude to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, September 27 at Empower Field at Mile High; then, on Sunday, October 4, they stay on the road for a tough matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field; and finally, they head back home on Monday, October 12 to host the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Key takeaways

• Aaron Donald made his return after a two-year retirement in a victory against the Giants.
• Playing 32 total snaps, he recorded three tackles, including one for a loss on third down.
• Head coach Sean McVay praised how his defensive star elevates everyone around him.

After the significant setback, head coach Sean McVay addressed the media regarding the timeline for Garrett’s recovery. According to Nate Atkins on X, McVay stated that he is uncertain about how long Garrett will be out following his knee surgery, though it is confirmed that Garrett will miss at least four games while on injured reserve.

Further explaining the decision to hold back on a definitive recovery timeline, Stu Jackson reported on X that McVay wants to wait until he has all the post-surgery information before providing a clearer estimate.

What happened to Garrett?

Prominent edge rusher Myles Garrett began experiencing knee discomfort and swelling during training camp, which forced him to miss most of the team’s practice sessions in the weeks leading up to the season opener. However, Garrett failed to register a single tackle and looked well below his usual standard during Friday’s embarrassing loss to the 49ers in Australia.

The 30-year-old Garrett will miss next Monday’s home game against the New York Giants, road matchups against Denver and Philadelphia, and a home contest against the Buffalo Bills before becoming eligible to return. McVay offered no estimated timeline for his return.

“It’s all contingent on how do things go [Monday],” McVay said. “But I think it would be unfair to him, without having the totality of all the information, to put any sort of timeline on it.”

The decision made by Garrett

Garrett, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, played only 40 of 65 snaps against the 49ers. McVay said the decision to pursue surgery was made after consulting with Garrett immediately after the game.

“We thought we were doing the right thing,” McVay said of the Rams’ attempt to manage the situation. “In hindsight, you’ll always be able to learn from it. I’ll never hang onto whether you want to say it was a mistake or just different things to be able to kind of change course.”

With Garrett out, the Rams could use a spark for a defense that allowed three touchdown passes and 174 rushing yards against the 49ers. The 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals all won their openers, putting the Rams in last place in the NFC West. While it remains early in the season, the road to a spot in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium suddenly appears more challenging.

“We haven’t decided that yet,” the head coach Sean McVay said in his video conference, via Sarah Barshop of ESPN. “He’s going to continue to work his process and we’ll see what that looks like.”

After the loss in their debut against the San Francisco 49ers, it seems the Rams desperately need a boost with Donald on the field. However, they appear to be taking a cautious approach to his return, despite facing a Giants team whose physicality prevailed against the Dallas Cowboys in its season opener.

Donald’s final preparations

After Donald came out of retirement, it was more than clear that getting up to speed with his teammates would take some time. As a first measure, it was decided that he would not travel to Australia for Week 1, where the Rams ultimately lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

Obviously, McVay needs one of his biggest stars to be at 100% for his first game of the season, especially knowing that he will face a New York Giants team coming off a win in the first SNF of the season.

What’s Myles Garrett’s current situation?

Things did not go as expected for the Rams, who opened their season 0-1 and, even more concerning, had to deal with the injury suffered by Myles Garrett in Melbourne. McVay was unable to provide an exact timeline for when the defensive end could return to action, and instead made it a top priority to address what happened following the injury.

“Thought we would take an approach where he’d be feeling good enough to go contribute positive change and be the player that he’s capable of. That wasn’t the case. And so the next right thing for us is to be able to get this thing fixed,” the HC said via ESPN‘s Sarah Barshop.

A big Week 2 showdown

The Rams and Giants are set to face off in a Week 2 primetime matchup on Monday Night Football, September 21, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Both teams will be looking to make an early-season statement under the bright lights, making it one of the most anticipated night games of the week.

According to Sarah Barshop of ESPN, McVay announced that every player of the roster is traveling to Australia. As for Donald, “if he feels good enough to go, great. If not, I’ve got a lot of confidence in the other guys,” McVay said.

Hence, it’ll al come down to a simple decision. If Donald feels like he is ready to go, he will play as if he never left. For the Rams, that would be wonderful news, but McVay is clearly confident on the roster as a whole.

The Rams defense has potential to be special

The 49ers have a lot of injured players on offense but that’s not the only issue they have. In front of them, they have an elite defense. When you look at the talent in the Rams D-Line, it’s a nightmare to deal with.

Myles Garrett is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Aaron Donald is a certified, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Byron Young is an exciting prospect and Poona Ford is great at run stopping. That without mentioning a star-studded secondary with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

Are the Rams favorites against the 49ers?

According to Vegas odds, the Rams part as 3.5-point favorites over the 49ers. After all, the Rams are seen as juggernauts destined to win the NFL. Meanwhile, the 49ers are barely staying healthy and the season hasn’t even started yet.

McVay spoke to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times on Donald’s future. “I would love to be able to have all this stuff figured out but… I know he’s feeling good, and I think he will continue to work out, and I’m hopeful that we’ll have some answers on that sooner than later,” McVay said.

Hence, more workouts are yet to come, but it all trends in a positive direction as Donald is feeling good. If Donald is back with the team, the Rams might actually have the most stacked team in recent NFL memory.

The Rams defense would arguably be NFL’s best with Donald

While the Rams have a great defense, rarely is it put on the list of the best in the NFL. The Houston Texans and the Seattle Seahawks are the main ones. However, the Rams might not even need Donald to look both of those units in the eye. And, if Donald returns, it might be the definitive factor for the Rams defense to be the best in the league.

A potential lineup with Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett would absolutely compete with Houston’s defensive line. Meanwhile, the duo of Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie could easily be a top CB duo that competes with Seattle’s secondary. The Rams might be on the verge of historic levels of talent.

Donald could be lured by a lowkey factor

While they were both in the organization together, Aaron Donald has never played with Chris Shula as a defensive coordinator. Shula was upgraded to the DC role in 2024, just when Donald retired.

However, in 2022 and 2023, Shula served as the pass rush coordinator/ linebackers coach, directly working with Donald up-front during Donald’s final NFL season. Now that he has a whole defensive scheme, Donald could be tempted to see how far Shula has come.

“He’s put himself in a position to be able to say yes or no,” the Rams head coach told the Times. “I think he’s earned that right to have clarity on that. We’re not at that point quite yet.”

McVay also added that he doesn’t want to “put some sort of invisible deadline on something that doesn’t exist in my mind,” while emphasizing that he feels very good about his current roster. “I feel great about our football team as it currently stands, and I know he’ll add value if he decides to come.“

Donald, a Rams legend

Widely regarded as one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history, Aaron Donald built a legendary 10-year career spent entirely with the Rams franchise. A three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (tied for the most in league history alongside Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt), Donald earned 10 Pro Bowl selections and eight First-Team All-Pro honors while commanding double teams every single week.

Beyond his career total of 111 sacks, he set the single-season record for sacks by an interior defensive lineman with 20.5 in 2018. He capped off his iconic legacy as a Super Bowl LVI champion, delivering the game-clinching pressure against the Cincinnati Bengals to cement his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Garrett is the new leader of the defense

Following Donald’s retirement, the arrival of two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett marked a seismic addition to Sean McVay’s team. As one of the most dominant pass rushers in football—coming off a record-setting 23-sack season—Garrett brings elite edge pressure and disruptive presence that instantly alters how opposing offenses scheme against L.A.

Working alongside defensive coordinator Chris Shula, McVay gains a game-changing anchor who demands double teams on nearly every snap, reshaping the math on the field and establishing a terrifying new standard for the Rams‘ defensive unit.

Sean McVay spoke recently on Aaron Donald’s future. Now, McVay said Corum will “be a big factor in what we’re going to do this year.” Corum competed but was the clear-cut RB2 behind Kyren Williams last year.

McVay also gave an update on Puka Nacua amid holdout rumors. The head coach has had a busy start to the training camp. The Rams have big hype behind them and now Corum could be one of the big factors to improve the team.

Blake Corum’s 2025 NFL season

Corum’s sophomore NFL season was one that saw him get increased snaps and that ended up being a very productive season for an RB2. Corum ended 2025 with 746 yards and six touchdowns.

Corum has shown he is a highly efficient running back for the Los Angeles Rams known for his exceptional vision, low center of gravity, and elite contact balance. He proved to be very reliable in short-yardage plays.

Rams offense looks like world beaters for next season

Having arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver in Puka Nacua, the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford and mastermind like Sean McVay will certainly boost this team into new heights.

• QB – Matthew Stafford
• RB – Kyren Williams / Blake Corum
• LT – Alaric Jackson
• LG – Steve Avila
• C – Coleman Shelton
• RG – Kevin Dotson
• RT – Warren McClendon Jr.
• LWR – Davante Adams
• RWR – Puka Nacua
• SWR – Jordan Whittington
• TE – Colby Parkinson