The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New York Giants 28-6 on Monday night, with the game marked by the return of All-Pro defensive end Aaron Donald and an early injury to Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Dart, a second-year quarterback, was forced out on the Giants’ seventh play after taking a significant hit from Rams defenders Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart. According to ESPN, Dart sprained his MCL and is expected to miss playing time, though he is not believed to have broken any bones. He underwent an MRI on Tuesday to assess the full extent of the injury. The quarterback had impressed in the previous week’s victory over Dallas before being sidelined.
Jameis Winston replaced Dart and completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with one interception, as the Giants managed just 182 yards of offense compared to Los Angeles’s 481 yards.
The Rams capitalized on the Giants’ disadvantage with strong performances from their offensive weapons. Davante Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, marking his best performance in a Rams uniform. Matthew Stafford passed for 327 yards and four touchdowns, moving into sixth place in NFL history with his 426th career TD pass, surpassing Philip Rivers.
Donald’s return was a significant storyline for Los Angeles. The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year had not played in an NFL game for 32 months. He recorded three tackles in his comeback and acknowledged feeling sore after the game. “It felt good to be out there and get a game under my belt,” Donald said.
The Rams played without injured All-Pros Puka Nacua and Myles Garrett but still dominated. The victory represented a rebound for the preseason Super Bowl favorites after suffering a 27-7 loss to the 49ers in Australia the previous week.
After the game, Stafford spoke with Dart, telling ESPN: “I said I’m pulling for him. I don’t expect him to tell me what’s going on, but I just wanted him to know I’m pulling for him. I want young guys in this league who play our position to play well.”
Key facts
- Jaxson Dart suffered an MCL sprain in the first offensive series and was replaced by Jameis Winston
- The Rams defeated the Giants 28-6 with Matthew Stafford passing for 327 yards and four TDs
- Davante Adams had eight catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns
- Aaron Donald returned after 32 months away and recorded three tackles
- The Giants managed only 182 yards of offense in the game