Sports Scientists React to McVay, Rams' Travel Plan to Australia After Myles Garrett's Injury, Loss

The Los Angeles Rams' travel strategy for their opening game may draw additional scrutiny in the wake of Myles Garrett's knee injury.

The Ringer's Tom Pelissero reported the reigning Defensive Player of the Year will undergo arthroscopic surgery and go on injured reserve, sidelining him for a minimum of four games.

Mike Sando of The Athletic detailed one possible downside to the Rams arriving in Australia a little over day before their game against the San Francisco 49ers.

"Sports scientists I spoke with said the Rams were spot-on in their handling of the sleep component, but they risked players feeling heavy-legged because it takes time for fluid buildup in the legs to dissipate following such a long flight," Sando wrote. "The problem can be exacerbated for bigger players like Garrett, who for the first time in his career played at least 55 snaps without recording even one tackle."

The Rams came out flat and lost 27-7 to San Francisco, and Garrett had a debut to forget.

The seven-time Pro Bowler told reporters after the defeat that "I didn't feel I was the player I've been before when I stepped on the field."

His critical assessment raised some concerns in the view of one former Cleveland Browns assistant.

"When Myles said he needed to change and do whatever he needed to get himself ready, I took that as either he did not buy into what the team was doing, or there was another ailment going on," they said to Sando. "It was probably a little bit of both."

It's not as though the Rams were the first Super Bowl contender to ever lay an egg in Week 1. Drake Maye threw three interceptions in the New England Patriots' 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, who dropped their 2025 opener en route to winning a title.

Given the outcome, Los Angeles nevertheless may have taken a more traditional approach to its long journey to Australia with the benefit of hindsight.