Rams rout Giants as Stafford throws four touchdowns on Donald's return

The Los Angeles Rams marked Aaron Donald's return to the NFL with a 28-6 win over the New York Giants on Monday night, a result shaped as much by an injury to the home side's quarterback as by anything Los Angeles did going forward.

Jaxson Dart went down with a knee injury during the Giants' first offensive series and did not return, leaving New York to navigate the remainder of the game without their starter.

Los Angeles made the Giants pay for the disruption. Matthew Stafford threw for 327 yards and four touchdown passes, finding a rhythm that New York's defence could not disrupt once Dart's absence took hold.

Davante Adams was the chief beneficiary, hauling in eight catches for 195 yards and two of Stafford's four touchdown throws. It was the kind of performance that underlined why the Rams' passing game has remained potent even amid other pressures on the roster.

The win moves the Rams to 1-1 for the season, a record shared by the Giants, who drop to the same mark after their opening-week form failed to carry into this contest.

Donald's presence on the field for Los Angeles added context to the occasion beyond the scoreline, with his return to the NFL forming part of the pregame narrative before Stafford and Adams took over the story on the field.

Attention for New York now turns to the extent of Dart's knee injury and what it means for the Giants' quarterback plans in the coming weeks, though no further details on the severity were available from Monday night's reporting.

For the Rams, the victory offers evidence that their attack can produce points at volume when Stafford is given time, with four touchdown passes and over 300 yards through the air marking one of his more productive outings of the young season.

Both teams now shift focus to their next assignments as they look to build on, or recover from, a result that swung heavily on an early injury and a big night from Adams.