Giants Face a Rams Pass Rush That Has Not Recorded a Sack This Season
Dart's longest completion in Week 1 gained 19 yards.
The Giants arrive at SoFi Stadium on Monday night as 6 1/2-point underdogs against a Rams defense that has not recorded a sack this season, hit the opposing quarterback twice in its opener and will be without reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. New York has not started 2-0 since 2022. The teams last met in Week 17 of the 2023 season, a 26-25 Rams win at MetLife Stadium.
Los Angeles traded Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to Cleveland for Garrett in the offseason, and Aaron Donald came out of retirement to line up next to him. The Rams lost the NFC Championship Game at Seattle last season and opened this one as the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, according to CBS Sports. The Rams lost their opener 27-7 to San Francisco in Melbourne.
Garrett played in that game, did not record a tackle and had arthroscopic knee surgery days later. He was placed on injured reserve, which requires him to miss at least four games.
Donald, 35, said Friday he plans to make his 2026 debut Monday after two seasons away. How many snaps he plays has not been announced. He is listed on the final injury report with a non-injury rest designation, did not practice Saturday and carries no game status, the same as Tyler Higbee, Byron Young and Alaric Jackson. Davante Adams took a rest day Thursday and practiced in full Friday and Saturday.
Neither team recorded a sack in Week 1
Three of the four defenses in the two Week 1 games that set up this matchup did not record a sack. San Francisco hit Matthew Stafford eight times without one.
| Week 1 defense | Sacks | QB hits |
|---|---|---|
| Rams vs. Purdy | 0 | 2 |
| Giants vs. Prescott | 0 | 3 |
| 49ers vs. Stafford | 0 | 8 |
| Cowboys vs. Dart | 2 | 6 |
Jaxson Dart was hit six times, the most of the four quarterbacks. Next Gen Stats had Dart with the third-fastest average time to throw in the league in Week 1, according to giants.com.
New York traded Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati in the offseason and used the pick it got back on Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa at No. 10, five spots after taking Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, who rushed off the edge in college. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson's unit held Dak Prescott to 72 passing yards in the first half of the opener, according to giants.com, without a sack.
Dart's passing numbers
Dart is in his second season. John Harbaugh is in his first as Giants coach. Harbaugh, hired Jan. 20 after 18 seasons in Baltimore, brought tight end Isaiah Likely with him on a three-year, $40 million deal in March and put Matt Nagy in charge of the offense. In their first game together, the Giants ran the ball 37 times and threw it 29.
| Dart, Week 1 vs. Dallas | |
|---|---|
| Completions-attempts | 23-29 |
| Passing yards | 230 |
| Touchdowns-interceptions | 3-0 |
| Passer rating | 134.2 |
| Longest completion | 19 yards |
| Touchdown lengths | 15, 2, 9 yards |
| Sacks taken | 2 |
| Times hit | 6 |
| Rushing | 11-54 |
Dallas was credited with three passes defended.
Likely caught all eight of his targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Malik Nabers caught six of nine for 69 yards in his first game since tearing an ACL and meniscus in Week 4 of last season, playing 36 of a possible 69 offensive snaps. Devin Singletary caught four passes for 22 yards and a touchdown.
The Giants ran 37 times and punted once
The Giants went 4-13 last season and finished last in the NFC East. Against Dallas they ran 37 times for 165 yards, held the ball for 36 minutes, 40 seconds and punted once, a 46-yarder downed inside the 20. The Cowboys had the ball for 23:20 and ran 52 plays to New York's 68.
| Week 1 | Giants | Rams |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 394 | 290 |
| Yards per play | 5.8 | 5.1 |
| Plays | 68 | 57 |
| First downs | 29 | 15 |
| Time of possession | 36:40 | 26:10 |
| Rushing | 37-165 | 29-122 |
| Rushing first downs | 11 | 7 |
| Punts | 1 | 3 |
| Penalties | 10-114 | 4-43 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
Cam Skattebo carried 18 times for 81 yards and scored the game's first touchdown. Dart ran 11 times for 54 yards. Dallas ran for 69 on 18 carries.
San Francisco ran 30 times for 174 yards against the Rams and picked up 10 first downs on the ground, according to the official box score.
Safety Quentin Lake led the Rams with 10 tackles against the 49ers and safety Kamren Kinchens had nine. Kinchens is out Monday with a hamstring injury after not practicing all week. Safety Kam Curl (ankle) and linebacker Nate Landman (shoulder) were limited all three practice days.
Penalties and turnovers
New York committed 10 penalties for 114 yards against Dallas. Five Cowboys first downs came on Giants penalties, and three penalties on a single Dallas series gave the Cowboys 67 yards, according to the Cowboys' game recap. The Giants fumbled four times and lost one, on a Tyrone Tracy carry. Harbaugh said Monday the fumbles were not close to acceptable.
Dallas committed nine penalties for 90 yards, four of which gave the Giants first downs. New York won by eight. The Rams committed four for 43.
The Rams scored seven points on 290 yards
Los Angeles had not lost by double digits since Week 12 of the 2024 season and had scored at least 10 points in 42 straight regular-season games, dating to a 20-3 loss at Green Bay in Week 9 of 2023, according to NFL Network. Both streaks ended in Melbourne. The Rams gained 290 yards and 15 first downs and scored one touchdown in three red-zone possessions. NFL Network's post on X after the game listed both streaks.
One drive reached the San Francisco 1-yard line and ended when the 49ers stopped Stafford on a fourth-down sneak. San Francisco answered with a 99-yard, 11-play drive that made it 24-7. Tyler Higbee fumbled after a catch with 11:08 left and the 49ers kicked a field goal.
Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP, completed 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards with no touchdowns and an interception, a 61.2 passer rating. Rams coach Sean McVay pulled him with 3:05 left and Stetson Bennett finished the game. The Rams ran 29 times and Stafford threw 25 passes.
Puka Nacua, who led the NFL with 129 catches last season, caught five passes for 74 yards, including a 41-yard catch that set up the Rams' only touchdown. Adams, who led the league with 14 touchdown catches, caught three of six targets for 26 yards and did not make his first catch until late in the third quarter.
Nacua is questionable with a hip injury. McVay said Friday it was soreness in Nacua's groin that appeared after Thursday's practice. Receiver Jordan Whittington (quad) is doubtful.
Travel and rest
The Rams arrived in Melbourne about a day before kickoff, according to NFL.com. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan had the 49ers spend the week there. The Rams have had 11 days off and play their home opener Monday. The Giants have had eight and are making their first road trip under Harbaugh.
The Rams' run defense has faced one opponent, a San Francisco offense that ran 30 times for 174 yards against it. The Giants' 4.5 yards per carry and Dart's 134.2 rating came against a Dallas defense with a new coordinator, a new scheme and starters who did not play a preseason snap, according to the Cowboys' game recap.
Ed Valentine of Big Blue View talked through the matchup from both sidelines with Erin Coscarelli of Bleav in Rams on his Valentine's Views channel.
Injuries, line and kickoff
| Giants, final report | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CB Deonte Banks | Calf | Questionable |
| LB Micah McFadden | Neck | Questionable |
| OT Andrew Thomas | Ankle | None |
| CB Greg Newsome | Rib | None |
| DL Chauncey Golston | Neck | None |
| OL Francis Mauigoa | Shoulder | None |
Banks practiced on a limited basis Thursday and missed Friday and Saturday. Cornerback Paulson Adebo missed Thursday's practice with a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve, which sidelines him at least four games. The Giants signed cornerback Nikko Reed from the Chargers' practice squad to the roster spot. Nabers is not listed.
The Rams opened as 8 1/2-point favorites, according to VegasInsider, and the line was 6 1/2 at most books Monday morning. The total is 47 1/2. Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. EDT at SoFi Stadium, on ESPN and ABC.