Rams can focus on Week 2 rebound after Kam Curl and others avoid serious injury

The Los Angeles Rams have already lost Myles Garrett for at least four weeks, but it sounds like his injured teammates have escaped any serious designation.

Safety Kam Curl (ankle), linebacker Nate Landman (shoulder/thumb), and tight end Davis Allen (concussion) all sustained Week 1 injuries, but the Rams expect them available on Monday against the Giants. The update on Omar Speights, who suffered a hip injury but returned to play, was not quite as encouraging, but head coach Sean McVay remained upbeat.

"[He's] got some swelling there ... but he's feeling better than what we had anticipated," McVay said via beat writer Stu Jackson. "He's making positive gains right now."

Funny how any good news is a relief these days. 

The positive updates mean that, instead of scrambling to get injury substitutes up to speed, the Rams can focus on rebounding from a disastrous performance against the 49ers. Even better, they might get Aaron Donald back, too. 

Let's hope Week 1 was just a terrible, horrible, no-good day.

Rams avoid the worst from Week 1 attrition

It is somewhat concerning, of course, that both starting linebackers were banged up in the game. The Rams are already thin at the position. Shaun Dolac stepped in for Speights and did a solid job before the latter returned to the game, but he and Grant Stuard are the only backups on the roster.

That, though, is easily the harshest news, and it sounds like Landman will be good to go against the Giants. McVay said the team will exercise caution with Landman in practice to avoid aggravating the injury. Curl seems likely to be available. 

Assuming those three can suit up at or near 100 percent, and hopefully Speights as well, the Rams can devote full focus this week to righting whatever went wrong on Thursday. Which was just about everything. 

Obviously, there won't be a way to replace Garrett, even if Donald plays, and his absence will undoubtedly affect the defense. The soonest Garrett can return is Week 6 against Arizona. 

Garrett's injury is what it is. With the others healthy, defensive coordinator Chris Shula can lean into making the necessary adjustments and coaching up any flaws that can't be explained due to energy or effort. Nearly the whole team looked flat, and there's only so much coaching can do to fix that. 

Stopping the run will be a point of emphasis after being gouged by the 49ers for 174 yards on 5.8 per carry. Having both linebackers available, but particularly Landman, will be crucial to implement any improvements at and beyond the line of scrimmage. The defensive line has its work cut out. 

Rams fans certainly have cause for doom and gloom on the heels of humiliation and Garrett's injury, but it appears the team has avoided being further smitten ahead of next Monday's kickoff.

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