Matthew Stafford did more than help the Los Angeles Rams recover from a rough season opener Monday night. He passed Philip Rivers on the NFL’s career touchdown list while directing a 28–6 win that left the New York Giants without their starting quarterback and without a touchdown.
Stafford completed 22 of 31 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns at SoFi Stadium on September 21. Two of those scores went to Davante Adams, who produced eight catches for 195 yards while Los Angeles played without injured All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua.
The victory moved the Rams to 1–1 and gave their home crowd a dramatically different performance one week after Los Angeles lost 27–7 to San Francisco in Australia.
Stafford moves past Philip Rivers
Stafford’s four touchdown passes raised his career total to 427, moving him into sixth place in NFL history ahead of Rivers, according to Reuters.
The veteran quarterback found Adams twice for touchdowns and also connected with Kyren Williams and tight end Terrance Ferguson for scores. The Rams accumulated 481 yards of offense and repeatedly created explosive plays despite committing turnovers of their own.
Stafford’s milestone was especially striking because the Rams were missing Nacua, who had been ruled out with a hip and groin injury. Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions last season, leaving New York’s defense with an obvious opportunity to focus on Adams.
It did not work.
Davante Adams takes over without Puka Nacua
Adams delivered his biggest receiving performance since joining Los Angeles: eight receptions, 195 yards and two touchdowns. His production accounted for well over half of Stafford’s passing yardage and gave the Rams a reliable answer whenever the offense needed a field-changing play.
ESPN’s postgame review also confirmed the 195-yard performance and noted how the Stafford-Adams connection carried the passing game with Nacua unavailable.
Los Angeles did not score on the ground. Every Rams touchdown came through Stafford’s arm, turning the four golden passes into the defining image of the game.
Jaxson Dart’s injury changed New York’s night
The Giants’ trouble began on their opening offensive series. Quarterback Jaxson Dart injured his left knee after being hit by Rams defenders Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart. He walked away from the field but was eventually ruled out.
Initial X-rays were negative, but the Giants feared an MCL sprain and planned additional imaging, according to a separate Reuters injury report. Until those tests are completed, the severity and recovery timetable remain uncertain.
Jameis Winston replaced Dart and completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with an interception. New York’s only points came from two Dominic Zvada field goals, while the Rams’ defense kept the Giants out of the end zone.
Aaron Donald returns as the Rams’ defense responds
The night also marked Aaron Donald’s first NFL appearance since January 14, 2024. His comeback had already made the game a major event in Los Angeles, but the broader defensive performance mattered just as much: New York struggled to sustain drives after Dart left, and the Rams avoided falling to 0–2.
The result does not erase every concern. Stafford threw an interception, Kyren Williams lost a fumble and the status of Nacua remains important for the weeks ahead. But Los Angeles showed that it can still generate elite passing production when its leading receiver is unavailable.
What comes next
For the Rams, the most encouraging number may be four—the touchdown passes that placed Stafford alone in sixth place historically and powered the team’s first victory of the season.
For the Giants, the next important number will come from Dart’s medical evaluation. New York is also 1–1, but the health of its franchise quarterback now outweighs the final score.
Monday night ultimately produced two very different headlines: Stafford and Adams turned the Rams’ home opener into a milestone celebration, while the Giants left Los Angeles waiting for answers about their quarterback.
