Garrett described his own performance as "the worst version of myself that I've put out there," .
Statistically, Garrett is probably correct. He finished the game with zero tackles, as well as zero sacks and zero quarterback hits. According to Tru Media, it was just the fourth time in his career that he's failed to tally a single one of those stats. The last time it happened was in 2024.
| Season | Week | Opponent | Tackles | Sacks | Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 13 | Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 1 | 49ers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
"I've got to be better," Garrett said. "I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be, and I've shown that I've been before. "
Garrett didn't necessarily excuse the performance, but he did mention that he was still dealing with the knee injury that bothered him throughout training camp. When asked what he needs to work on moving forward, Garrett specifically stated his health needs to improve the most.
"When I was out there, I was a little bit more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than what they were doing, and that showed," Garrett said. "I wasn't who I needed to be for my team. "
Garrett will have another 11 days to get rested before the Rams take on the on "Monday Night Football" in Week 2.
By then, he could also have another high-level player along the defensive line to draw attention away from him as well, as could make his season debut after he sat out the opener against San Francisco. Perhaps the time off and the presence of another former All-Pro could kick Garrett into gear and help the Rams' defense reach the level many expected of it coming into this season.
