The Giants have already made a sharp turn out of the gate in the John Harbaugh era, and now they get a much different kind of test.
After knocking off the Cowboys 28-20 in front of 83,286 fans at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night, New York heads west for a Monday night matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. It was the Giants’ first Week 1 win since 2022, the same year they last reached the playoffs, and it came with the kind of control that made the final score feel tighter than the game actually was. New York spent plenty of the night with double-digit leads.
The Rams, meanwhile, are trying to shake off a rough start of their own after a 27-7 loss to the 49ers in the NFL’s first ever regular-season game in Australia. There’s also uncertainty around their defense, with Aaron Donald potentially returning from retirement, while Los Angeles will be without reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and has no timetable for return.
That backdrop is exactly why this Week 2 line has some bite: can the Giants spring the upset as a sizable road underdog, or do the Rams steady themselves at home after the long layoff?
Our staff leaned heavily toward Los Angeles, though not unanimously. Art Stapleton sees a 29-23 Rams win, saying the Giants are riding high after their opener but that the Rams are too talented to look as lifeless as they did in Week 1.
Bert Bainbridge also has the Rams, 24-21, while noting the Giants could benefit from the Rams’ adjustment after the Australia trip and the absence of Garrett, and potentially Donald too. Bob Jordan expects a more comfortable Los Angeles result, picking the Rams 30-14 and pointing to the challenge of backing a new head coach in just his second game.
Dave Rivera has the Rams 24-17, saying Los Angeles will respond after getting “smacked” in Australia.
There are a couple of believers in the Giants, though. Mike Dougherty is taking New York 24-23, citing a jet-lagged Matthew Stafford and the Giants’ physical defense.
Brian Marron has the Rams 27-23, but says the Giants should keep leaning on the run game while needing more explosive passing plays. Chris Iseman rounds out the group with a 31-20 Rams pick, saying Los Angeles won’t drop two straight and should take control late.
The game is set for Monday, Sept. 21 at 8:15 p.m. from SoFi Stadium, with ESPN and ABC carrying the broadcast.
The betting numbers reflect the gap, too. According to BetMGM as of Thursday, Sept. 17, the Rams are 7-point favorites with an over/under of 48.5. On the moneyline, Los Angeles is -350 and the Giants are +275.
New York’s schedule now rolls through a full slate after this trip, starting with Tennessee in Week 3 and followed by Arizona, Washington, New Orleans and Houston before the bye. The Giants also have late-season games at Philadelphia, Seattle, Detroit and Dallas, plus home dates with Washington, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Cleveland and Philadelphia.
In Other News...
Rams Hit With Another Frustrating Issue Ahead Of Giants Game
The Rams are trying to steady themselves after dropping their season opener to the 49ers, and the week has already brought a fresh layer of frustration. Two players were fined for separate penalties from that game, a reminder that the opener not only ended in a loss but also left the team dealing with discipline issues as it turns its attention to the Giants.
Tyler Davis was fined $6,225 for a hit on Brock Purdy that involved contact to the head and neck area, while Nate Landman was docked $11,111 for unnecessary roughness tied to helmet use. The money from both fines will go to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation, but for a Rams team looking for a cleaner start, the bigger concern is limiting the kind of mistakes that pile up before a tough stretch can really settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Send A Clear Message About Their Linebacker Concerns vs Giants
The Rams kept shoring up their linebacker room ahead of Monday nights matchup with the Giants, activating Elias Neal from the practice squad as they continue to manage some uncertainty at the position. Omar Speights and Nate Landman have both been dealing with injuries, but both are expected to be active, which gives Los Angeles a little more stability in the middle of the defense entering a game where depth could matter.
Neal, an undrafted free agent signed in 2024, gives the Rams another body for a group that has been tested by the injury report and a useful presence on special teams. Even with Speights and Landman trending toward playing, the decision to bring Neal up underscores how carefully the Rams are handling the linebacker spot as they prepare for the Giants. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Have One Monday Night Scoring Edge Fans Should Watch
Monday night gives the Rams another chance to lean on the same offensive pieces that shaped their opener, with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum both drawing attention in the scoring market. Los Angeles has reasons to believe it can create chances against a Giants defense that showed some early vulnerability, and the setup points to another game where the Rams backs and playmakers could matter in the red zone.
Malik Nabers and Jaxson Dart are among the New York names to watch on the other side, but the Rams biggest edge may come from how they manage the scoring opportunities that appear in the first place. Week 1 offered enough defensive questions for both teams to make this feel less like a clean matchup and more like a game where one early finish near the goal line could set the tone. [Read more 🡒]