Chris Shula's grim task won't get any easier with Myles Garrett on injured reserve

The fate of the Los Angeles Rams defense rests upon the shoulders of coordinator Chris Shula. At one point, he seemed to have one of the easiest jobs in the NFL. But after a poor showing in Week 1 and edge rusher Myles Garrett on injured reserve for at least the next four weeks, it just became much more difficult.

Wow. Talk about a plummet. Just days ago, Shula had the world as his oyster. He led the defense to a superb start in 2025, despite having one of the least expensive units.

To combat late-season struggles, the front office invested in the secondary and the pass rush, and made it a point to ensure key contributors like Kam Curl and Quentin Lake were back for 2026. Even formerly retired Aaron Donald could not resist the urge to return.

Now, though, hopes for one of the NFL's most dominant defenses have been put on hold. Shula will have his hands full.

Chris Shula must find a way to compensate for Myles Garrett's absence

The Rams' run defense seemed to be fixed last season. Run-stuffing worries are behind the them, right?

Well, they just allowed 174 rushing yards in Week 1 at 5.8 yards per carry. That's a pretty poor showing, especially when any one could have predicted San Francisco would try to establish the run.

In stark contrast, the Rams held the Niners to averages of 2.2 and 3.5 yards in their two 2025 meetings. Now Garrett is headed for surgery and the injured reserve, putting LA's defense in an early-season hole, perhaps during the toughest stretch of the schedule.

That is bad enough, but the Horns' pass rush now falls to edge rushers Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson, and undrafted rookie Wesley Bailey. That's a fine group, but there's no replacing Garrett.

Stewart showed plenty of flash in Week 1 as he put up six tackles. But the pass rush only got home on one play, when defensive tackle Tyler Davis was called for roughing the passer. That was a horrific way to commemorate the only pressure on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.

Shula has the benefit of a few extra days to prepare for the next opponent, the New York Giants, whom the Rams will play on September 21 on Monday Night Football. But without Garrett, a porous run defense, and plenty of lingering questions, at this point the outcome is anybody's guess.

As always, thanks for reading.

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