Throughout the offseason, theRams.com will be looking ahead to select games and opponents on the team's 2026 schedule.
This year's series begins with an advanced look at the New York Giants, who the Rams will host on Monday Night Football at SoFi Stadium in Week 2 (5:15 p.m. PT, ESPN).
Between a new (but well-known) head coach, an ascending second-year quarterback and the potential for one of the league's best linebacker units inside and out, the Giants present an intriguing home-opening opponent in primetime in Week 2.
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2025 recap
The Giants began the season with veteran Russell Wilson, who the team signed to a one-year deal, as the starter after he was named it on the first day of training camp. Rookie Jaxson Dart, whom the team selected 25th overall in the first round of the draft, was the backup. Wilson started the first three games before head coach Brian Daboll pivoted to Dart, who remained QB1 the rest of the season.
Dart's performance that landed him among the five finalists for last season's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Alongside rookie teammate and running back Cam Skattebo's emergence, they made for one of the most exciting offensive tandems to watch last season before Skattebo suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 8. The loss of Skattebo came four weeks after star wide receiver Malik Nabers was lost for the season because of a torn ACL sustained in Week 4.
Those absences played a part in New York stumbling to a 2-8 record over the first 10 games of the season. The Giants then fired Daboll on November 10, one day after the Bears rallied to a 24-20 win in Week 10. Although New York finished 13th in total offense, it ranked 28th in total defense.
Key changes
The Giants replaced Daboll with longtime NFL head coach John Harbaugh, who became available this hiring cycle after the Ravens parted ways with him after 18 seasons. Harbaugh's inaugural coaching staff in New York featured 28 new hires, significant turnover from the previous regime.
In free agency, one of their most important moves was signing veteran inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Prior to the draft, the Giants traded three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 pick. According to multiple reports, Lawrence requested a trade after he and New York hit an impasse in contract extension talks.
In the draft, the Giants added former Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese – who can play off-ball linebacker or edge – to an already-loaded linebacker group that features Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter via the No. 5 overall pick, then selected former Miami (Fla.) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick acquired from Cincinnati.
Head coach
Harbaugh is entering his first season as the Giants' head coach. In 18 years with the Ravens, he compiled a 180-113 regular season record and 13-11 playoff record, winning Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. Baltimore qualified for the postseason in 12 of Harbaugh's 18 years.
What to watch for
New Giants offense led by Year 2 Dart; new Giants defense without Lawrence
Dart showed he was capable of being a dynamic, dual-threat quarterback as a rookie, but he will be on his second offensive coordinator – and play-caller – in as many seasons. Last year it was Mike Kafka, this year it will be Matt Nagy, whose coaching history includes working with quarterbacks who possessed similar skillsets. Run-pass options were a big part of Dart's rookie season, and it wouldn't be surprising to see that carry over into Year 2 with it being a longtime staple of Nagy's scheme.
On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Harbaugh hired Dennard Wilson – the Titans' defensive coordinator the last two years, and before that defensive backs coach on former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald's staff in 2023 – to serve as his defensive coordinator. Given that Baltimore history, it also wouldn't be surprising to see that influence – disguised coverages, pattern-matching, sim pressures – show itself in New York's defense this year. The Rams are quite familiar with that scheme, of course, having faced the Seahawks five times across the regular season and playoffs since Macdonald was hired by Seattle in 2024.
