LANDOVER, Md. -- As Myles Garrett sat at the podium after the Los Angeles Rams' Week 1 loss and acknowledged he was playing through a knee injury, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year said his performance in the game was "the worst version of myself that I've put out there."
But in his first game back from his mid-September knee surgery, Garrett was a difference-maker for the Rams. In Los Angeles' 20-13 victory against the Washington Commanders, Garrett had six pressures and three sacks on 27 pass rushes (22.2% pressure rate), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He played 35 of 58 defensive snaps (60.3%).
While Garrett said he was "nowhere near" to the performance he knows he is capable of, it felt "great to be out there with my teammates again."
"Man, it was a weight off my shoulders, just getting back to who I am," Garrett said. "I'm nowhere near where I want to be as far as my performance and things I know I can do and how I can move, but this is a confidence booster for sure."
The game marked the first time that Garrett and defensive tackle Aaron Donald played together. According to NFL NGS, with both players on the field (23 plays), the Rams' defense allowed 5.0 yards per play and recorded four sacks. On all other plays (19), the defense allowed 8.0 yards per play and a touchdown with no sacks.
"We got a pretty good feel of the game, was able to play off each other sometime and do some things, so it was fun," Donald said.
Garrett's first sack of the game was a strip sack of Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in the second quarter.
"I tried to step up and I'd seen I want to say Van [Jefferson] on a corner route and I was trying to throw it and then Myles Garrett happened," Daniels said.
Since Donald initially retired in March 2024, the Rams have been looking for their closer on defense. Rams coach Sean McVay said Sunday that Garrett "did a great job being able to close the game out and make his presence felt."
When asked whether he felt he could fill that role for the Rams, Garrett said, "I am that closer. So we don't need to look any further."
Two of Garrett's three sacks came in the fourth quarter. One of those sacks came up the middle against rookie center Matt Gulbin, subbing for an injured Lucas Patrick.
"It's a hard ask to go out there and go one on one vs. Myles Garrett when they put him up there," Commanders guard Sam Cosmi said.
The game was Garrett's ninth career three-sack game, the most by any player since Hall-of-Famer DeMarcus Ware in 2014, according to ESPN Research.
Garrett now has 128.5 sacks in his NFL career, which tied Hall of Famer Jared Allen for the second-most by any player within his first 10 seasons since sacks became official in 1982.
ESPN's John Keim contributed to this story.