Overview
- Sunday, Garrett made his first game back from arthroscopic knee surgery and recorded three sacks and a forced fumble in the Rams’ 20-13 win over the Washington Commanders that moved Los Angeles to 5-4.
- After the game Garrett declared “I am that closer,” saying he can close out games for the Rams and giving a bold public endorsement of the team’s offseason move to acquire him from Cleveland.
- Sunday was the first time Garrett and Aaron Donald played together for the Rams and both players pressured the Commanders’ pocket enough to create better matchups for other defenders.
- Garrett and coach Sean McVay acknowledged rust and a pair of penalties in the game, and the team plans to manage his workload with limited snaps as he ramps back toward full form.
- The performance materially raises expectations for the Rams’ defense and their playoff chances, and next steps to watch are how coaches deploy Garrett in short bursts and whether he sustains this pass-rush impact over the coming weeks.