Rams defeat Giants 28-6 as Aaron Donald returns and Jaxson Dart exits with knee injury

At SoFi Stadium on Monday night the Los Angeles Rams beat the New York Giants 28-6 as Aaron Donald made his return to NFL action and Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart exited with a knee injury; Davante Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns while Matthew Stafford threw for 327 yards. The win moved the Rams to 1-1 and left the Giants 1-1 in the early season slate.

Los Angeles entered the game missing All-Pros Puka Nacua and Myles Garrett and were seeking to respond after a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia; Donald had skipped the Week 1 trip to Melbourne and this was his first NFL appearance in 32 months. The Rams are listed as 1-1 and the Giants 1-1 following the result.

Stafford completed four touchdown passes and recorded his 426th career TD, moving into sixth place in NFL history by passing Philip Rivers when Adams tracked down an 11-yard fade in the third quarter. "He attacked all areas of the field, he’s a fantastic football player we’re lucky to have him," Stafford said of Adams after the game.

Adams produced his best receiving totals in a Rams uniform, including a two-handed, high catch taken in for a 31-yard touchdown on Los Angeles’s second possession and a 64-yard reception on the third drive that set up Kyren Williams’s 10-yard scoring catch. Stafford finished with 327 passing yards as the Rams accumulated 481 yards of offense.

The Giants managed just 182 yards overall and were hampered by Dart’s early departure; the second-year quarterback left the field after a heavy hit from Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart on New York’s seventh play and watched the second half in a track suit. ESPN reported that Dart sprained his MCL, will miss playing time, is not believed to have broken any bones and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.

Jameis Winston replaced Dart and completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with an interception, throwing an end-zone pick to Trent McDuffie in the second quarter as New York’s only points came from field goals. The Giants’ offense failed to recover after the change under center.

Donald, a three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, recorded three tackles in his return, received loud ovations from Rams fans at SoFi Stadium and had skipped the Week 1 trip to Melbourne. "It felt good to be out there and get a game under my belt … I’m a little sore right now," Donald said after the game.

Stafford and Dart spoke briefly following the contest, with Stafford 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. He’s doing a heck of a job, I hope he’s back sooner rather than later." Dart is scheduled to have an MRI on Tuesday to assess the knee.