INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After a sluggish offensive showing in the season opener, Davante Adams urged calm rather than panic — and he delivered a much stronger follow-up performance Monday night. With Puka Nacua sidelined, Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams cruised to a 28-6 victory over the New York Giants.
Adams and quarterback Matthew Stafford re-established the chemistry that emerged last season; Stafford completed 22 of 31 throws for 327 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, producing a 131.3 passer rating after a Week 1 outing that produced a 61.2 rating. Stafford notably improved on intermediate and deep throws, going 9-for-13 for 219 yards and two TDs on passes of 10+ yards after a poor showing in that area against San Francisco. Adams’ 195 yards were the highest single-game receiving total in the NFL so far this year, and the performance marked his 29th career game with multiple receiving TDs, tying him for fourth all-time. With Nacua out, second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson paced the rest of the receiving corps with six catches for 54 yards and a score.
One storyline to monitor: Aaron Donald, returning from a long absence, played 32 defensive snaps (58.2%) and was credited with three tackles and a run stop but no QB pressures in his first game in 981 days after initially retiring following 2023. Also notable — Adams’ early TD was the first of his Rams tenure that wasn’t scored on a throw caught in the end zone, after all 15 of his receiving TDs last season were end-zone plays.
New York (1-1) got a dose of bad luck and reality in Los Angeles. Rookie QB Jaxson Dart exited in street clothes after taking a hard hit to his left knee on the opening series and did not return; the team opted not to send him back in despite his desire to re-enter. Malik Nabers left briefly with a shoulder issue but returned, though the Giants’ offense stalled once backup Jameis Winston took over. Winston finished with just 111 passing yards, threw a red-zone interception and faced heavy pressure — the Rams recorded 10 pressures on 18 first-half dropbacks.
The Giants’ ground game also disappeared after a strong Week 1: they managed only 52 rushing yards (2.5 yards per carry) versus L.A., a sharp drop from the 165 rushing yards they posted against Dallas. Safety Tyler Nubin was targeted frequently, allowing seven catches on 10 targets for 143 yards and a touchdown, per Next Gen Stats. Late in the game, both left tackle Andrew Thomas and outside linebacker Brian Burns left with bumps and bruises.
Next up: Rams at Denver Broncos, Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET. Giants vs. Tennessee Titans, Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Fan Take: This game matters because it showed the Rams’ offense can be explosive when Stafford and Adams find a rhythm, even without Puka Nacua, which should worry the rest of the NFC. For the Giants, injuries to Dart and a stalled offense raise immediate concerns about depth and protection that could alter their season trajectory if not resolved quickly.
Source: www.espn.com
