The Giants may have caught a break before their Week 2 trip to the West Coast.
Myles Garrett is headed for arthroscopic knee surgery and will land on injured reserve, according to The Ringer and Netflix Sports, which knocks the Rams’ star pass rusher out for at least the next four games. That starts with New York’s Monday Night Football game at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 21.
It’s a major development for a Giants offensive line that was already staring at a difficult matchup. Garrett was a quiet presence in his Rams debut on Wednesday night, finishing with zero tackles across 40 defensive snaps. Now he’s out of the picture for a stretch that includes the Broncos, Eagles and Bills after the Giants game, with a possible return as early as Oct. 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Rams’ defense is still a formidable group, but this latest twist adds to a messy start. Aaron Donald’s status for the Giants game remains unclear after the 35-year-old unretired to join Garrett on a loaded defensive front in pursuit of another Super Bowl on the Rams’ home turf. Donald did not play in Week 1, and he didn’t even travel with the team to Australia for its 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Los Angeles also made a huge move in June, sending Jared Verse to the Cleveland Browns in the blockbuster deal that brought Garrett in. So the Giants are now facing a Rams team that looked shaky in its international opener and is already dealing with a depleted edge-rushing plan.
The Rams have also drawn plenty of attention for their last-minute trip to Australia, instead of arriving days earlier to deal with the 11-hour time change. And there are still two more names to watch on their side: Puka Nacua and starting left tackle Alaric Jackson.
The NFL is reviewing both situations, though no timeline for discipline is clear. Nacua was sued for allegedly biting a woman on New Year’s Eve, while Jackson was arrested on a domestic violence charge for allegedly inflicting corporal injury on a spouse.
ESPN reported that Nacua may not be suspended at all this season.
For the Giants, the trip carries its own baggage. They went 1-8 in road games last season, with their lone win away from home coming Dec. 28 against a tanking Raiders team in Las Vegas.
They also have not beaten Sean McVay, the grandson of former Giants head coach and 49ers Super Bowl architect John McVay. McVay is 3-0 against New York, and the Giants are 0-2 at SoFi Stadium after losses there to the Rams in 2020 and the Chargers in 2021.
The Sept. 21 matchup will also be New York’s only road game in September. The Giants won’t travel again until Oct. 11 at the Washington Commanders, then won’t board another flight before their Week 8 bye until Oct. 25 at the Houston Texans.
In Other News...
Giants Just Added Real Suspense To Malik Nabers Week 1 Status
The Giants made a roster move ahead of Week 1 by promoting wide receiver and special teams contributor Dalen Cambre from the practice squad to the 53-man roster before facing the Cowboys. It was the kind of depth-chart shuffle that usually slides by unnoticed, but this one landed with extra weight because it came amid lingering questions around Malik Nabers and the offenses opening-night plans.
Nabers has practiced fully and is not on the injury report, yet his status for Sunday still has not been made fully clear because New York has not announced its final lineup. For a Giants team trying to settle its pecking order before a division game, that leaves at least one of its most important offensive pieces in a bit of suspense right as the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Created New Week 1 Tension Around Malik Nabers
The Giants made a small but telling roster move ahead of Week 1, elevating wide receiver and special teams contributor Dalen Cambre from the practice squad to the 53-man roster before their matchup with the Cowboys. It is the kind of transaction that usually flies under the radar, but at this point in the calendar every promotion and depth-chart shuffle gets a closer look, especially when it comes this close to opening weekend.
What makes the move worth watching is the uncertainty still hovering around Malik Nabers. He has been a full participant in recent practices and does not carry an official injury designation, yet the Giants still have not said whether he will be active for the opener. The final answer will come before kickoff, but until then the team has left a little tension hanging over a game that already carries plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Daboll's Titans Debut Gave Giants Fans A Familiar Feeling
Brian Dabolls first game on the Tennessee sideline came with plenty of familiar faces for Giants watchers, and not much to celebrate. The former New York head coach was back in the spotlight Sunday in a Week 1 meeting with the Jets, where Tennessees offense never found much rhythm and the Titans fell 23-10. The passing game was limited to 127 yards, the ground attack managed 68, and the debut had the kind of uneven feel that can make a new beginning look a lot like an old problem.
The game also brought a cluster of ex-Giants into the Titans new chapter, with Wan'Dale Robinson, Daniel Bellinger, Cordale Flott and Austin Schlottmann all making their debuts for Tennessee. For Giants fans, it was a reminder that Dabolls next stop is still tied closely to the roster building and offensive questions that have followed him from New York. The pieces are in place for a fresh start in Nashville, but the first look suggested there is still plenty of work ahead. [Read more 🡒]