The New York Giants are looking to their young quarterback, Jaxson Dart, to emulate the consistent high-level play of veteran Matthew Stafford as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams. Dart, in his second year, is coming off a standout performance in the Giants' season-opening 28-20 victory over the Cowboys, a game that showcased significant strides in his development.
Stafford, a 17-year veteran, represents the standard the Giants hope Dart can achieve. Across his career, Stafford has maintained a level of play that, despite playing for less successful teams early on, has made him a perennial contender and a Super Bowl champion with the Rams. His career record stands at 120-119-1 overall, with a 46-29 record during his six seasons with Los Angeles. The Rams, even after an uncharacteristic poor outing by Stafford in Australia to open the 2026 season, are still considered Super Bowl contenders, a testament to his enduring impact.
Dart's performance in Week 1 was historically significant. He became the first player in NFL history to record at least three touchdown passes, a passer rating of 130 or higher, and over 50 rushing yards in a season opener. He threw two touchdown passes to tight end Isaiah Likely and one to running back Devin Singletary, while also contributing 54 rushing yards and a career-high passer rating of 134.2 in 13 NFL starts. This marked a considerable leap from his rookie year, demonstrating newfound confidence and improved decision-making under center, areas emphasized by the new coaching staff led by John Harbaugh.
"There’s a lot of things that factor into that performance Week 1, and first and foremost it’s Jaxson’s willingness to work at it,'' said quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Brian Callahan. "He spent a ton of time. It’s really important to him. Everything that we do he tries to do it exactly how we ask it, and he’s also got the athletic ability and the capacity to take that coaching and then go do it. It was really encouraging to see him play like that. I thought he played a really good game, and now the key for us is how do we do it again.''
Doing it again is the hallmark of an elite quarterback, and Dart faces another high-profile test on Monday Night Football against the Rams. The Giants' schedule presented a difficult opening stretch with consecutive primetime games, first against the Cowboys and now against the Rams. After opening 1-0, a victory against Los Angeles could signal the Giants are a legitimate threat.
"It’s going to be a great test,'' Dart said of the matchup. "It’s going to be a great test for our team. The players that they have on their team, some really, really good guys. So, we believe that we have really good guys too.''
Stafford, who won MVP last season and signed a contract extension through 2027, is looking to rebound from a 35.8 passer rating in a Week 1 loss to the 49ers. While Stafford is a known quantity at 38 years old, Dart represents the future. The Giants believe they have a well-rounded team to support him, with wide receiver Malik Nabers rounding into form, a solid offensive line, and a strong running game. However, their secondary will be tested, with cornerback Deonte Banks potentially out due to a calf injury and backup Paulson Adebo already on injured reserve.
Despite the challenges, head coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence that his team would not suffer a letdown after their Week 1 success. "Well, I don’t think there’s any chance of that,'' Harbaugh said. "You have to improve to have a chance to be successful next week. So, our guys understand that, and I don’t expect or have any inkling, I don’t believe that’ll happen for one second.''
