“It eases my mind to know it’s not nothing serious,” Burns said to the press once the game concluded. “I’ve dealt with this before. It all depends on how fast you can get the swelling and inflammation down. I’m going to do everything possible to get as tamed as I can.”

The pass rusher also addressed taking immediate action: “The recovery process starts now, so it will be ice and compression until we get back to the facility and do more work on it, try to stay off it, keep it elevated. That’s all you can do with sprains. I’ve dealt with it before.”

Burns’ situation adds to that of Jaxson Dart, who suffered a scary injury, although his diagnosis also appears to be positive. Clearly, the G-Men’s trip to the West Coast was not productive at all.

What exactly happened to Burns?

It was already a brutal night for the Giants, but things got even worse late in the fourth quarter when Brian Burns went down with a left low ankle sprain. With New York trailing 28-6 and under six minutes left on the clock, his ankle got rolled up on behind the play; he couldn’t put much weight on his leg and had to be helped off the field by trainers.

Before exiting, Burns was having a relatively quiet night in a tough game for the Big Blue defense, finishing with 2 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss (TFL), and 0.5 sacks while battling through heavy attention from the Rams’ offensive line. Fortunately, postgame tests confirmed it wasn’t a high ankle sprain, though his status for next week remains up in the air on a short week.

Short recovery time

The Giants will host the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, September 27—giving Burns less than six days to get that ankle right, clear medical checks, and somehow be ready for game action.

For an explosive edge rusher who relies entirely on burst and quick get-offs to wreak havoc, losing almost two full days of typical game-week prep makes suited-up playing time an uphill battle.

Key takeaways

• Brian Burns suffered a left low ankle sprain during the Giants’ loss to the Rams.
• The edge rusher recorded 2 tackles and 0.5 sacks before his late fourth-quarter injury.
• New York hosts the Titans on September 27, giving him under six days to recover.

According to ESPN, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo, the initial diagnosis for Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is a sprained MCL. An MRI and further testing are scheduled for tomorrow, marking relatively good news for the team regarding Dart, who tried to talk his way back into the game.

Furthermore, X-rays came back negative. While Dart is expected to miss some time, the major silver lining is that nothing appears broken — an encouraging initial diagnosis that the Giants organization hopes will remain unchanged.

How did Dart’s replacement perform?

Dart’s absence will undoubtedly cause major concern, as evidenced by the heavy defeat against the Rams. Backup quarterback Jameis Winston completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception while being sacked in the 28-6 loss after taking over for Dart in the first quarter.

The injury took place on New York’s first possession of the game on a third-down pass. Dart was under pressure and jumped to pass downfield before being hit hard, getting sandwiched between multiple players and injuring his left knee.

Dart was a first-round pick last year and had a promising rookie NFL season. His aggressiveness and running style led to some injury concerns, including being evaluated for concussions five times as a rookie.

Those who led the Rams to victory

Davante Adams made eight catches for 195 yards and hauled in two of Matthew Stafford’s four touchdown passes as the Rams welcomed Aaron Donald back to the NFL, while Stafford passed for 327 yards for the Rams.

The Rams played without injured All-Pros Puka Nacua and Myles Garrett, but Stafford and Adams put on a vintage performance while the preseason Super Bowl favorites rebounded competently from last week’s 27-7 debacle of a loss to the 49ers in Australia.

Key takeaways

• A sprained MCL was diagnosed for Jaxson Dart after exiting in the first quarter.
• Negative X-rays were reported, with a follow-up MRI scheduled for Tuesday.
• Jameis Winston replaced Dart in the Giants’ Week 2 loss to the Rams.

Dart had to be helped off the field after getting pummeled by the Rams in the first quarter. He was ruled out for the rest of the game. The 23-year-old Dart went 3-of-5 for 20 yards against the Rams.

While Schoen’s comment did not exactly provide a timeline or clarify the severity of the young signal-caller’s knee injury, it was good to hear a positive comment. In the offseason, the Giants emphasized the need to protect Dart, including urging him to avoid absorbing heavy contact. Dart, who was a regular customer of the blue tent in his rookie year, recently admitted that he is still unlearning his old habits so he can stay on the field.

A return Dart was eager to see

He had a remarkable performance in their 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. He went 23-of-29 for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Before facing the Rams, Dart admitted that he was curious to see Rams defensive end Aaron Donald back in action.

It is a calming message after Dart limped off the field in the first quarter following a hit from both ends by Rams defenders Byron Young and Josiah Stewart. Jameis Winston took over for Dart under center as the Giants work without a backup plan, with third-stringer Jake Haener on the practice squad.

He is not as good as Dart, and the Giants’ NFL season will be sunk if the second-year signal-caller is out for a long time. The Giants would still be in major trouble if Dart only needs a handful of weeks to get back, but that would obviously still beat the worst-case scenario.

Dart protecting himself from big hits and concussions has been a constant story. This, though, was a hit from the pocket, after which his left knee appeared to bend awkwardly.

Key takeaways

• “He’s going to be OK” was stated by GM Joe Schoen regarding Jaxson Dart.
• Three touchdown passes were thrown during a 230-yard performance in Week 1.
• Jameis Winston took over under center following the first-quarter hit.

Finally, Nabers returned to the field, put his helmet on, and ran back out onto the field. He is officially back in action, though close attention will remain on his status in case he continues to deal with shoulder pain.

Nabers’ return is massive, but the Giants must start considering their wide receiver depth chart and backups, knowing that one of their starters could suffer a damaging injury. As a result, New York will remain watchful while also anticipating the involvement of Odell Beckham.

How Nabers suffered the hit

Malik tried to make a contested catch while being covered by Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie. Immediately after the play, Nabers put his left hand over the area between his bicep and shoulder.

It is worth remembering that Nabers returned to action in Week 1 after suffering a torn ACL in his knee last September. It was uncertain whether he would play in the opener until pregame warmups. He caught six passes for 69 yards against the Cowboys. He had one catch for one yard against the Rams before his return for the Giants.

It has been a difficult start to Week 2 for Harbaugh, considering the injury alongside the status of Dart, who suffered a hit to his knee following a heavy collision.

The Giants’ offense, of course, is largely built around Dart, the second-year quarterback, and Nabers, the third-year wide receiver. They played less than half a game together in the 2025 NFL season. For the moment, they still struggle to establish that continuity.

Key takeaways

• Malik Nabers returned to the game following an evaluation for a shoulder injury.
• Six catches for 69 yards were logged in Week 1 after ACL recovery.
• Jaxson Dart exited to the locker room after taking a hit to his knee.

After a short stop by the blue medical tent, Dart headed down the tunnel and into the locker room, not the X-ray room. Perhaps an encouraging sign, the Giants’ starting quarterback against the Rams was able to walk there under his own power, though with a visible limp.

Ahead of the second half, Dart was confirmed out. “Giants have ruled QB Jaxson Dart (knee) out for the rest of the game,” NorthJersey’s Art Stapleton reported. For the time being, Winston will run Matt Nagy’s Giants offense, but the fear of a potentially severe injury remains around Dart.

In Hollywood, New York’s night got off to a horror movie start. To make matters worse, the Giants’ woes continued as Malik Nabers momentarily exited the game injured. However, the wideout quickly returned to action. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Dart. By the fourth quarter, the Ole Miss product was seen in street clothes watching Winston lead the offense.

NY Giants are in QB trouble

With Dart out for the remainder of the Giants’ visit to the City of Angels, Harbaugh is down to his last option at quarterback. While discouraging to watch Dart go down with an injury early in a crucial game, keeping Winston healthy is now a top priority. New York has no other option at football’s most important position.

The G-Men don’t have a third, emergency quarterback designated for their primetime game at Rams House. If anything happens to Winston, they will have to improvise, and that’s far from ideal this early in the campaign. Odell Beckham Jr. could be an option for New York at quarterback in case they need to resort to an “in case of emergency” option.

Dart walking off the field could mean nothing

Although it’s always better than the alternative of being carted off the field, the fact that a player is able to put some weight on his legs after a lower-body injury isn’t as telling as many fans may think. Thus, for the time being, no conclusions can be drawn from Dart walking off the field on his own.

Still, Giants general manager Joe Schoen provided an optimistic update on Dart. That said, until further testing is conducted, every option remains on the table. That includes good, bad, and worst-case news.

Key takeaways

• Jaxson Dart exited Monday’s game early following a hit to his left knee.
• Backup quarterback Jameis Winston entered to run the G-Men offense for Matt Nagy.
• Dart didn’t return to the game and was seen in street clothes in the fourth quarter.

In fact, Nacua only missed one game in the 2025 NFL season, and he was hoping to have a similar Iron-Man-like streak in 2026. However, the Rams’ star pass-catcher and matchup-destroyer is facing adversity of the kind he’s never faced in his professional journey.

The last game Nacua had missed in the NFL was on Oct. 19, 2025. Then, Nacua was ruled out due to an ankle sprain days in advance, before the Rams faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in an NFL International Game at Wembley Stadium in London.

Rams won last time Nacua was out

If it’s worth anything, the Rams did great the last time they were without Nacua in an NFL regular-season game. Against Jacksonville, Los Angeles won 35-7 in the Big Smoke. Davante Adams shined the brightest with Nacua sidelined, as the veteran wideout caught three touchdown passes.

Perhaps a similar night awaits for him at SoFi Stadium against the Giants. Though similar, this isn’t the same Rams team from a little less than a year ago. Indeed, the fact Aaron Donald is playing for the Rams against the Giants in Week 2 helps, but may not make up for other key absentees.

Most importantly, Myles Garrett isn’t playing for Los Angeles against New York on Monday Night Football as he is on Injured Reserve (IR) following knee surgery. Still, Sean McVay and the Rams will have to do well with what they have. Indeed, they have notable absences and injuries, but they boast a talented roster that can weather the storm.

When can Nacua return?

The last time Nacua missed time due to injury in the NFL, the Rams were fortunate enough to enjoy a bye week, meaning Nacua only missed one game. They won’t have that luxury in 2026, and if Nacua doesn’t make progress, he might be sidelined when his team takes on the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 3.

Last year, Puka caught seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown upon his return from the ankle sprain. It remains to be seen how he bounces back from the hip injury that is affecting him in 2026.

Key takeaways

• Puka Nacua missed the Rams’ Week 2 game due to a hip injury.
• The star wide receiver previously sat out an International Game in London on Oct. 19, 2025.
• Los Angeles won that prior matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars by a 35-7 score.

The last time Aaron Donald stepped on an NFL field was over two-and-a-half years ago. Donald’s final regular-season appearance before retirement came against these same Giants on Dec. 31, 2023. On New Year’s Eve in New York, Donald recorded five tackles and two sacks as the Rams escaped with a 26-25 victory.

His final game overall came two weeks later on Jan. 14, 2024, when the Rams lost 24-23 to the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card round. His previous appearance before the home crowd at SoFi Stadium came Dec. 21, 2023, in a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Monday falls on the 21st as well — exactly two years and nine months, or 1,005 days, later.

Donald and his return with the Rams

Donald is now active for the matchup, where his participation is expected. Donald slowly deliberated over a return, with the Rams providing sporadic updates as he went through the motions of figuring out whether he was ready to play in the NFL again. The answer finally came on Aug. 30, with Donald signing a one-year, $20 million deal to play for the Rams again.

That return came too late for Donald to play in the Rams’ NFL season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, a 27-7 blowout loss. That also represented Donald’s first chance to play alongside Myles Garrett, who was invisible in Week 1 before undergoing knee surgery.

Even with an extended layoff, expectations will be high for Donald, just as they have been for the entire Rams team that entered this season as a Super Bowl favorite. At 35 years old, Donald might occupy a different role than the one he had in his prime, but one thing is certain: it will be worth watching.

Where do the Rams need Donald?

Donald is 35 and has not played a meaningful snap in nearly 1,000 days. The team would be foolish to expect 60 snaps of vintage Donald immediately, and Donald has already acknowledged he will tap out when necessary rather than pretend retirement somehow turned back the hands of time. However, the Rams do not need the old Aaron Donald for 60 snaps. They need Aaron Donald on crucial snaps.

Key takeaways

• Aaron Donald returns after signing a one-year, $20 million deal on August 30.
• 1,005 days have elapsed since the veteran’s final playoff appearance on January 14, 2024.
• Five tackles and two sacks were recorded during the prior matchup against New York.

Los Angeles Rams won’t count with Puka Nacua. The wide receiver didn’t practice on Friday and on Saturday due to a hip and groin injury. Therefore, Sean McVay should be looking for alternatives.

As for John Harbaugh and the Giants, Malik Nabers is ready to go, as well as Malachi Fields and Darnell Mooney. However, it’s always interesting to see how much looks a veteran like Odell Beckham Jr., who will play on Monday Night Football, can get within the game script.

Rams WR depth chart vs NY Giants

As for now, it seems like Puka Nacua is out of the game after testing himself in the warmups. Davante Adams will get WR1 looks throughout the game. Meanwhile, Tutu Atwell will serve as the WR2 because Jordan Whittington is also doubtful and pretty much out of the game against the New York Giants.

• Davante Adams
• Tutu Atwell
• Konata Mumpfield
• Xavier Smith
• Tyler Johnson

NY Giants WR depth chart vs LA Rams

The Giants have a much healthier wide receiver room right now than the Rams. Nabers is ready to go, another week removed from his rehab on his knee. He should be getting more and more workload as the games go on. Darnell Mooney should be using his skills to be a vertical threat for Jaxson Dart. Meanwhile, OBJ will still serve as a situational receiver.

• Malik Nabers
• Malachi Fields
• Darnell Mooney
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Braxton Berrios
• Jalin Hyatt

The safest answer is yes — Beckham will be available and ready to play on Monday Night Football after being left off the Week 2 injury report. During Week 1, Odell Beckham made his official return to the Giants, playing a game for the team for the first time since 2018.

Now set for his second game back with the franchise, Beckham is far from the same player he was when he left the team. He saw a reduced role that led to him finishing the game without a reception. Still, the Giants face a tough matchup against the Rams, who will be without Myles Garrett.

Beckham’s tenure with the Rams

While Beckham played in only 12 total games for the Rams, his tenure is fondly remembered because it resulted in a Super Bowl win. After the Giants traded Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns, the wide receiver failed to have the same level of impact he previously had in New York.

His tenure with Cleveland was marked by injuries and a lack of chemistry with Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Eventually, the Browns released the Pro Bowl wide receiver, leading to his signing with the Rams halfway through the 2021 NFL season.

With the Rams, Beckham Jr. appeared to be returning to his Giants form, catching seven touchdowns in 12 games. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Rams came to a devastating end when Beckham Jr. suffered a torn ACL during the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship, Beckham finished with 112 receiving yards.

Today, Beckham faces another test against a former team he knows very well. Meanwhile, the Rams have listed Puka Nacua as unavailable — one of Sean McVay’s fundamental pieces — along with the potential and highly anticipated return of Aaron Donald.

Key takeaways

• Odell Beckham Jr. is available after being left off the Week 2 injury report.
• Zero receptions were recorded by the wide receiver during his Week 1 return.
• Puka Nacua is unavailable regarding his playing status for the Rams.

While Puka Nacua’s status for the Week 2 game between the Giants and Rams remains up in the air, there are no doubts about who will play under center. John Harbaugh will rely on Dart to guide the Giants to victory and the G-Men’s first 2-0 start since the 2022 NFL season. As for Sean McVay, he is counting on Stafford to brush off the dust after his rough Week 1 outing in Melbourne, Australia.

It would take a disaster, unfortunate injury, or a big blowout for either New York or Los Angeles to send their backup quarterbacks onto the field, but they both have confidence in them, regardless. Just as the Giants’ and Rams’ running back depth charts for Week 2 are filled with talent, the quarterback rooms in both the City of Angels and the Big Apple are stacked, too.

Backup quarterbacks for Giants at Rams in Week 2

The former first overall pick in 2015, Jameis Winston, will be the Giants’ backup quarterback behind Dart on Monday night. Even if he isn’t on the gridiron, Winston never fails to make his presence felt on the sidelines, and NFL fans should expect no different under the lights in Inglewood, California.

The Rams’ second-string quarterback will be Stetson Bennett IV, the two-time NCAA national champion with the Georgia Bulldogs (2021 and 2022) and a former fourth-round pick in 2023.

Emergency quarterbacks for Rams vs Giants

It’s only on rare occasions that third-string, emergency quarterbacks see the field in the NFL, but it’s always a non-zero chance, regardless. Anything can happen, and teams must stay prepared.

The Giants, however, are rocking a two-man QB room on the active roster and haven’t announced a promotion for practice-squad QB Jake Haener. Thus, if anything happens to both Dart and Winston, it might be time to improvise. If all else fails, Odell Beckham Jr. (who has two touchdown passes to his name in his NFL career) could be lined up at quarterback.

The Rams, on the other hand, do have a third, emergency quarterback on the active roster, none other than 13th overall pick, rookie out of Alabama Ty Simpson.

Dart and Stafford’s stats after Week 1

Dart and the Giants, and Stafford and the Rams couldn’t have had more different starts to the 2026 NFL season. Not only because New York played at home while Los Angeles traveled all the way to the Land Down Under, but also because the G-Men put on a statement performance while the Rams spiraled out of control.

As a result, Dart started the season with a 230-yard, three-touchdown, zero-turnover, 54-rushing-yard performance, while Stafford registered 155 yards, no touchdown passes, and an interception in his debut. More importantly, Dart and the Giants started the year 1-0, whereas Stafford’s Rams are 0-1.

Key takeaways

• Matthew Stafford starts for the Rams and Jaxson Dart leads the Giants on Monday Night Football.
• Stetson Bennett and Jameis Winston, respectively, are the backup QBs.
• Ty Simpson is the third-emergency QB for the Rams, while the Giants haven’t designated one.

Garrett will not play against the Giants today because he has been placed on injured reserve following knee surgery. The 30-year-old went under the knife after the Rams‘ season opener and was subsequently moved to injured reserve. The transaction means he will miss at least four games, although the team has not established a firm timetable for his return.

Head coach Sean McVay has since maintained that the team will not rush the veteran pass rusher back and wants to evaluate his recovery before setting a definitive return date. At least the Rams enter the game against the Giants with Matthew Stafford at quarterback.

More bad news for the Rams

Receiver Puka Nacua appeared on the injury report with a hip issue. According to a Sunday report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Nacua’s status is trending unfavorably ahead of Monday night’s game against the Giants, which would mark two major absences for the Rams.

Thus, in under two weeks, the Rams lost their season opener — with virtually every player underperforming — then lost arguably the NFL’s best defensive player for a stretch, and could now be without one of the league’s top offensive players against the Giants.

The Rams have already watched the Seahawks and 49ers start 2-0 in the NFC West. Falling to 0-2 in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions would put them in an early, unexpected bind. However, with two top NFL players out and a Giants squad that showed major improvement in its debut, that outcome is a distinct possibility for the Rams early in what was supposed to be a championship season.

Garrett, a key offseason acquisition

The timing of the injury is especially significant, as Garrett was one of the Rams’ most important offseason signings. Los Angeles acquired the standout pass rusher from the Cleveland Browns with expectations that he would become a cornerstone of its defensive line and significantly boost its pass rush.

However, Garrett’s knee issues had already impacted his preparation during training camp. Despite dealing with the discomfort, he played in the season opener against the 49ers, though his performance was limited as Los Angeles struggled throughout the match.

Key takeaways

• Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve following knee surgery after the season opener.
• The Rams won’t count on Garrett against the Giants on Monday Night Football.
• Garrett will miss at least four games, without a set return timetable.