After an electric underdog win over the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants are back in primetime. They’ll close out NFL Week 2 by heading to Los Angeles to face the Rams on Monday Night Football. Here’s a full preview of Giants vs. Rams on Monday night.
The Rams traveled to Melbourne, Australia for a Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. LA’s offseason hype had them as the Super Bowl LXI favorites ahead of the international game. Surely they lived up to that hype, right?
The 49ers arrived in Australia nearly a full week earlier than the Rams, and they looked much fresher. San Francisco defeated its division rival 27-7, slightly tempering those Super Bowl expectations. LA looked unprepared, out of sync, and dysfunctional at times.
Los Angeles’ struggles could be attributed to the travel. It could also be attributed to the messiness of a rivalry matchup. Now, they’ve spent the last 11 days back home, resting and preparing for another dose of those primetime lights.
The Rams acquired reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett this offseason. He broke the single-season sack record in 2025 and was expected to push LA through its Super Bowl window. He ended Week 1 with zero pressures, zero QB hits, and zero sacks.
Following Garrett’s arrival, it wasn’t long until Rams legend Aaron Donald came out of retirement. The three-time DPOY and eight-time first-team all-pro defensive tackle is back to terrorize QBs. Why is this so important to Monday Night Football?
Garrett underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and landed on injured reserve. Monday night will also mark the return of Donald. The Giants are facing off with a returning future Hall of Famer, but the reigning DPOY will be absent.
Donald hasn’t seen the field since he retired in 2023. At 35 years old, it’s unclear what he will look like when he hits the field. Without Garrett next to him, and with the possibility of some rust, the Giants might be in a best-case scenario for this game.
The Giants shocked the NFL world on Sunday night when they defeated the Cowboys 28-20. They won their first Week 1 home game since 2010 and dominated time of possession by over 13 minutes. This isn’t the same Giants of years past.
New York hired former Baltimore Ravens head coach and Super Bowl XLVII champion John Harbaugh this offseason. He planned on changing the culture, and so far, that seems to be the case.
The Giants’ second-year QB Jaxson Dart completed 23 out of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. He and the rest of the offense diced up Dallas’ defense all night, and they have tremendous momentum heading into another primetime game.
Before the 2026 NFL season kicked off, this game was easily predictable by many fans. Giants fans expected a rough night, and the rest of the NFL world expected an easy win for LA.
One team made a statement against a division rival; the other was made an example. The Rams are entering this game as 6.5-point favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook. Is that expectation fair to either team?
The first and most obvious player to watch on Monday Night Football is Aaron Donald. The Super Bowl LVI champion is hitting an NFL field for the first time in three years. He may show some rust to start, but he’s a game-wrecker who’s still in tremendous shape.
Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa made his debut for the Giants in Week 1. The 2026 10th overall pick has made the switch to offensive guard, and he’s done it seamlessly. He played 36 pass-blocking snaps and didn’t allow a single pressure, QB hit, or sack.
Mauigoa and the rest of New York’s offensive line face a much taller task on Monday night. Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Donald have more experience and achievements than Dallas’ defensive front. How the rookie guard holds up will be extremely important to the team’s success.
The last two players to watch are each team’s respective QBs. Dart and Stafford had starkly different Week 1 performances. LA’s veteran is the reigning NFL MVP while New York’s signal caller is still growing in a new system.
Cam Skattebo vs. Aaron Donald: While this isn’t a direct matchup by any means, it’s worth watching. Skattebo spoke about potentially meeting Donald one-on-one. An aggressive runner matching up with a dominant interior defensive lineman could lead to some fun moments.
Malik Nabers vs. Trent McDuffie: The Rams acquired McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. Nabers made his return last week after suffering a torn ACL last September. The returning star will face off with the former first-team All-Pro cornerback in primetime.
Abdul Carter vs. Matthew Stafford: This is another indirect matchup, but it’s certainly interesting. Carter finished Week 1 as the third-highest-graded edge rusher by PFF (90.3). He recorded three total tackles, one QB hit, and five pressures on Dak Prescott.
Stafford is unlike any QB Carter has gone up against. He’s also less mobile than Prescott. The 2025 third-overall pick will be seeking his first sack of the season, and the 38-year-old signal caller is in his sights.
The Rams will be without Garrett following his knee surgery. He’s on IR and will miss at least the next four weeks of the season. They may also be without Puka Nacua, who’s reportedly trending the “wrong way” with a hip injury.
LA will also be without safety Kam Kinchens, who has a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Jordan Whittington is listed as doubtful with a quadriceps injury.
The Giants placed cornerback Paulson Adebo on IR due to a knee injury. Cornerback Deonte Banks is questionable with a calf injury, and could be a game-time scratch.
The Giants enter Monday Night Football as underdogs, and that’s to be expected. The Rams are still the Super Bowl LXI favorites with +600 odds. It’s easy to dismiss a team that was 4-13 in 2025, but the NFL has proven time and again that anything can happen on any given Sunday (or in this case, Monday).
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
