The New York Giants (1-0) will try to open their season with two straight wins for the first time since 2022 and the second time since 2016 as they face the Los Angeles Rams (0-1) at SoFi Stadium on Monday Night Football.
Here are five quick points of interest to know before kickoff.
Aaron Donald in, Puka Nacua...?
Donald will be strapping on the pads for the first time since 2023, having retired after that season. No one knows what kind of physical or mental shape he's in, what impact he'll have, or how much he'll play. He'll be butting heads with Giants rookie guard Francis Mauigoa, which promises to be an interesting matchup.
Nacua has been nursing a groin injury and is listed as questionable. He did not practice Saturday, but his track record suggests he'll play. At what
percentage is unknown. If Puka is limited, the Rams don't have much depth behind him, with Jordan Whittington (quad) doubtful. Of course, they still have Davante Adams in their lineup, but he only caught three of six targets in the Week 1 loss to San Francisco.
Jaxson Dart ready for primetime
This will be Dart's fourth start on National television in his young career. So far, so good. He has the highest passer rating (114.5) in primetime games by any QB in NFL history (minimum three primetime starts), according to NFL Research.
Highest passer ratings in primetime games in NFL history (minimum three starts): Jaxson Dart 114.5, Deshaun Watson 110.4, Lamar Jackson 108.8, Drew Brees 105.8 and Aaron Rodgers 104.3.
Flag-happy officiating crew
Brad Allen's crew, who will officiate this week's game, officiated the Chicago Bears-Carolina Panthers shootout in Week 1. The game featured 95 points and 23 penalties.
The Giants-Dallas Cowboys game last Sunday night featured several dubious pass interference calls and non-calls, leaving onlookers scratching their heads over what constitutes a PI penalty.
Of the 23 flags dropped by Allen's crew last week, only one PI penalty was called in the game, and it was on Carolina wide receiver Jalen Coker, which wiped out a touchdown. It will be interesting to see how this game gets called.
McVay vs Harbaugh
After starting his tenure as Rams head coach by winning four of his first five Monday Night Football games, Sean McVay has lost six of the last seven.
As head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh was 10-6 on Monday Night Football, winning his last five games. His MNF record in road games is 8-5.
In head-to-head matchups, Harbaugh has a 2-1 edge over McVay going back to 2018.
Will there be a sack in this game?
The Giants did not sack Dak Prescott in their Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, and the Rams went sackless against the 49ers' Brock Purdy in Australia last week. They were two of five teams that failed to register a sack in Week 1.
The Rams had only two QB hits on Purdy and will be without All-Pro defensive end Mayle Garrett for at least the next four games. They will face a very mobile Dart in this game.
The Giants had three QB hits on Prescott but pressured him nearly every play. They will face a very stationary, 38-year-old Matthew Stafford in this game.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. Rams: 5 things to know before Monday night's kickoff
