The New York Giants got buried 28-6 by the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, and the damage went well beyond the score. Jaxson Dart left injured, the offense went nowhere after that, and a night that had started with some hope quickly turned into one of those games where the few bright spots stand out mostly because everything else was so rough.
Jevon Holland was the one Giant who kept flipping the field and forcing the Rams to deal with him. He picked off a pass and then followed it with a forced fumble and fumble recovery on consecutive snaps in the first half.
That turnover handed the Giants the ball at the Rams’ 11-yard line, but they only came away with a field goal. Holland wasn’t done, either.
He forced another fumble in the fourth quarter.
Jordan Stout also did his part, even if punter praise is usually reserved for nights when the rest of the team has gone sideways. Stout punted six times and averaged 52.5 yards per punt.
He uncorked a 78-yard punt from deep in his own end zone, added a 61-yarder, and placed three punts inside the 20. He was excellent all night.
Dominic Zvada chipped in by making the first two field goals of his NFL career, including a 52-yarder.
The rest of the night belonged in the other column.
Jameis Winston struggled badly after taking over for the injured Dart. He never looked settled, his throws were off, and he seemed like a quarterback who had barely worked with the first unit - which, as the source material notes, he hadn’t.
Winston went 11 of 27 for 111 yards and an interception. If Dart has to miss time, the Giants need a much better version of Winston than that.
Protection was another problem. Dart got hurt in the pocket, where quarterbacks are supposed to be safest, and Winston didn’t appear confident that the pocket would hold up around him.
Sometimes it didn’t. The Rams finished with only two sacks and eight total hits on Giants quarterbacks, but they brought enough pressure to make the night miserable.
The run game offered almost nothing. New York managed 52 yards on 21 carries, a 2.5-yard average, and never found a rhythm on the ground.
That mattered even more once Dart went out. On the drive after Holland’s turnover gave the Giants the ball at the Rams’ 11, they ran it four times, including one play that didn’t count because of a Los Angeles penalty, reached the 6, and settled for a field goal while trailing 14-0.
That wasn’t good enough, and the interior of the offensive line looked overmatched for long stretches.
Coverage broke down too. Davante Adams had the kind of night that makes a defense feel helpless, especially against a rookie like Colton Hood.
Adams finished with 8 catches for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns. Terrance Ferguson also found plenty of room, catching 6 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
The pass rush never came close to taking over. Abdul Carter got the lone sack, and that was about the extent of it.
Matthew Stafford threw 31 passes and the Giants sacked him once while hitting him two more times. For a group that’s supposed to be a real problem for opposing quarterbacks, that’s nowhere near enough.
And then there was the injury list, which made the whole night feel even heavier. Jaxson Dart, Andrew Thomas, Brian Burns, and Malik Nabers all got hurt in the same game.
The source material called it ridiculous, and that about covers it. Even if none of those injuries is life-threatening, it was still a brutal night for a team that had been riding some good vibes.
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Brian Burns Just Became A Much Bigger Giants Money Question
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Burns is signed through 2028, which gives New York some control, but it also leaves the Giants weighing whether an extension makes more sense than simply absorbing those rising numbers later. With Andrew Thomas and Kayvon Thibodeaux also looming as major cap considerations, the teams flexibility will be tested by a handful of core players at once, and Burns may be the clearest example of how todays relief can become tomorrows problem. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Immediately Had One Big Fear After Jaxson Dart Went Down
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Jameis Winston stepped in at quarterback after Dart exited, giving New York a veteran option under center while the bigger concern hung over the sideline. For Giants fans, the reaction was instant and obvious, since any injury to a young quarterback always raises the same uneasy question about how long the team might have to manage without him. [Read more 🡒]
Giants-Rams Betting Twist Could Change Monday Night Touchdown Picks
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For a Giants team that has leaned into the uncertainty of these prime-time spots, the ripple effect matters because touchdown picks often hinge on opportunity as much as talent. Isaiah Likely, Davante Adams and Jaxson Dart have all surfaced as alternative names to watch, but the matchup still calls for caution with certain players because of workload splits and defensive matchups that could limit the appeal of the more obvious choices. [Read more 🡒]