Giants no match for Rams as Jaxson Dart’s health hangs over injury-filled loss

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The best horror writers in Hollywood couldn’t have penned a more terrifying script for the Giants than what happened Monday in the first quarter.

Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Arvell Reese — three first-round draft picks — exited with injuries and Reese’s replacement, Zaire Barnes, immediately had a touchdown thrown over his head as the Giants fell behind and never stopped sputtering in a 28-6 loss to the Rams in front of 73,773 at SoFi Stadium. Much of that crowd was rooting for Big Blue and was silenced.

Before the nightmare concluded, left tackle Andrew Thomas walked off the field gingerly and headed to the sideline injury tent, and Brian Burns had to be helped off the field without putting any weight on his left ankle.

The Giants were stuck playing catch-up with their franchise quarterback in the locker room getting his left knee examined and with their all-world receiver glued to the bench with a towel over his head as he dealt with the right shoulder pain from landing hard on the ground after an incompletion.

Dart is reportedly believed to have suffered a sprained MCL based on the initial exams, according to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, but Giants GM Joe Schoen told ESPN’s broadcast that Dart is “going to be OK,” a vague assessment that could apply to anything from a non-season-ending injury to him starting next week.

There was an initial thought within the Giants that Dart might be able to return to the game.

The fear, according to Chargers team physician Dr. David Chao of SICScore.com and other sports medicine experts offering opinions based on television footage, is an MCL sprain that could sideline Dart for weeks.

All of the Giants’ good vibes from the Week 1 out-toughing the Cowboys — and thoughts about what that means for beating a potentially jet-lagged Rams and starting a path to the playoffs — went up in smoke on the seventh offensive snap as Dart writhed on the turf. Players from both teams dropped to a knee around him, as usually is only the case for a serious injury.

The play was a mess before the snap as Nabers looked confused about where to line up, and Dart ultimately threw a floater into coverage that Theo Johnson dropped as the quarterback got folded on hits from both ends by Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart.

Dart ultimately hobbled off the field to the sideline injury tent for an examination and then limped back to the locker room with the medical cart following him into the tunnel and out of view, ready to take him for X-rays.

Reese’s injury only caused him to miss three plays, but they were costly, especially with top backup Micah McFadden sidelined by a neck injury.

Matthew Stafford found Davante Adams for a 31-yard touchdown behind Barnes and in front of safety Jevón Holland.

It was the first of Stafford’s four touchdown passes — he is the reigning MVP for a reason — and just the start of a career night for Adams, who victimized a depleted Giants secondary even without the attention-drawing help of injured All-Pro Puka Nacua.

The Rams’ connection of future Hall of Famers struck for a 64-yard completion that set up Stafford’s second touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead.

This time, Kyren Williams found a hole on third-and-6 from the 10-yard line in the coverage between Reese and rookie cornerback Colton Hood, who was making his first start for the injured Deonte Banks.

Nabers returned during the second quarter as the Giants drove into the red zone, but Jameis Winston’s deep-slant throw to Nabers died at the goal line and was undercut by Trent McDuffie for an interception.

The Giants showed their faith in Winston by rewarding him with a two-year, $13 million extension just before the season.

But that’s the price to provide leadership and emergency snaps — not to start for a chunk of the season. Even if the next four games — Titans, Cardinals, at Saints and Commanders — represent the soft part of the slate.

When the Giants made their own luck, they still didn’t capitalize. And that’s how you lose 11 of your last 12 appearances on “Monday Night Football,” dating to 2019.

Holland, an early-season takeaway machine — who has two interceptions and two forced fumbles in as many games — punched out a fumble from Williams and recovered the loose ball at the 11-yard line.

The Giants handed off four straight times to three different players (one negated by an offside penalty) and settled for a 24-yard field goal without even putting the ball in the air once — a lack of trust in the roller-coaster Winston, even with Nabers available to target.

Dart was back on the sideline to see the offense struggle until garbage time: Winston’s timing with receivers was off as he completed 11-for-27 passes for 111 yards, the offensive line allowed eight quarterback hits, and the running game averaged 2.5 yards per carry.