Giants Country

NY Giants vs. LA Chargers — Scoring Updates, Highlight Reels & Reactions

The Giants are searching for their first win of the 2025 season as the Jaxson Dart era gets underway.
Patricia Traina|
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will make his first NFL start on Sunday vs. the Chargers.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will make his first NFL start on Sunday vs. the Chargers. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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New York Giants

The New York Giants made a major change to their starting lineup this week with the official launch of the Jaxson Dart era.

But as far as head coach Brian Daboll is concerned, this coming weekend is no different than any other. 

“Yeah, you've got to have blinders on,” he said Friday. “You've got to get ready to play a game against a good team. You have your meetings. You go through and meet with the defense, offense, and special teams. Have meetings, have practice. Status quo.

But make no mistake about it; this past week hasn’t been about the status quo, not when the head coach is spending nearly every waking moment to ensure that Dart, his handpicked quarterback whom he is counting on to pull the team out of the doldrums and, despite what anyone would have you believe, save jobs.

“I meet with him throughout the year. It's only been the first few weeks,” Daboll said, trying to downplay anything being out of the ordinary. 

“I meet with him every Tuesday. We go through a few different tapes. However, all the quarterbacks are a position where there are guys who arrive early and stay late. There's a lot of stuff to do with quarterbacks.” 

Especially when there is pressure to stop a three-game losing streak that has dissolved all the feel-good sentiments that might have existed following what appeared to be a productive offseason of roster building.

Daboll, however, doesn’t see it that way–and if he is feeling any extra pressure, he’s not saying.

“The way I look at it every week, regardless of how many wins or losses that I have, is each week we're trying to do the best we can to get a win. That's what we try to do, that's what I try to do, and that's what we're going to try to do this week.”

You sure about that, coach?

“Just focus on this week,” Daboll emphasized. “I think that's what you need to do. Do what you need to do each week to try to improve. 

“Put together a good plan for the whole team. Not just the quarterback, but the whole team. And go out there and play and coach as good as you can.”

Sounds all well and good, but if playing “as good as you can” doesn’t result in the team’s first win of the 2025 season, it’s not going to be a fun week ahead in the team’s East Rutherford headquarters.

Fourth Quarter

GIANTS WIN! NYG 21, LAC 18

Guess Not.

Giants just need to get a first down to run this out and save the win. Can they do it?

TWO MINUTE WARNING.

3:46: HUGE sack by Brian Burns on Herbert for a 16-yard loss.

4:35 - Deonte Banks called for DPI. So instead of 3rd-and-10, the Chargers get a fresh set of downs.

5:43 - And on 4th-and-goal, the Giants don't get the touchdown, leaving this a three-point game still. Can't be squandering points in the red zone. Turnover on downs.

8:18: Dart bounces a run toi the outsuide to pick up the first down. Good adjustment there.

11:34 - Abdul Carter gets a hit on Justin Herbert to force a punt. Then punter JK Scott shanks a punt 31 yards out of bounds.

13:09 - Dart is starting to hold the ball a little too long now. Two passes now that he had a receiver he didn't see. Giants had to punt.

Third Quarter

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson
Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (84) rushes for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

END OF QUARTER

1:37: And the Chargers answer with a 54-yard touchdown run by Omarion Hampton. Chargers go for two and get it, making it a 3-point game.  NYG 21, LAC 18

2:53: Nice! Jaxson Dart flipped the ball to TE Theo Johnson for the touchdown. Chargers get called for a personal foul and the Giants then convert the 2-play conversion as Skattebo rams his way up the middle to convert the Dru Phillips turnover into points.NYG 21, LAC 10

3:47: Huge, huge play by slot cornerback Dru Phillips, who picks off Herbert and returns it 56 yards to give the Giants 1st-and-goal on the three. Charers were called for OPI, but that was declined.  

6:12: Dart fumbles at his 5-yard line, but Andrew Thomas falls on it. Giants lose one yard.

Jaxson Dart has cleared the concussion protocol. Safety Jevon Holland (neck) will return, But Giants confirm Malik Nabers is out with a knere injury, though they didn't confirm the NFL Network's report.

12:21: When it rains, it pours. Dart just broke through for a 39-yard run, but center John Michael Schmnitz gets called for holding, and it wipes out. To add to that, Dart was pulled out of the game to be checked for a head injury. Wilson replaced him.

Haltime

Chargers LT Joe Alt (ankle) has been downgraded to OUT. MEawhile no official word on Malik
Nabers from the Giant, but there is this observation ...

Second Quarter

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers
Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) is carted off the field following an injury during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

END OF THE QUARTER

:34: Chargers make it a 3-pointgame as Justin Herbert hits Quentin Johnson for a 36-yard touchdown. NYG 13, LAC 10

With Jevon Holland (neck) out for the time being, Dane Belton is playing safety and Demtrius Flannigan-Fowles is playing the hybrid safety/linebacker role Belton usually plays in the sub packages

1:52: Jude McAtamney hits his second field goal, this one from 31 yards. NYG 13, LAC 3

Another thing to watch: The TV broadcast showed Jaxson Dart stretching out his left hamstring. He's been running a lot today, so let's see how that affects him moving forward.

6:18: Uh oh. Malik Nabers landed HARD on his right side. Stay tuned. He's being carted off. Also, Jevon Holland has a neck injury and his return is questionable.

Of note: There is an NJ State police helicopter circling the stadium, which I suspect is to keep airplanes towing messages of dissatisfaction away.

6:47: Jaxson Dart rebounds with a short middle to Daiel Be4llinger for 12 yards. Giants challenged the spot as Bellinger was ruled just short of the first down. The call was revised, and the Giants got the first down on the 13-yard pass.

7:27: Dart takes his second sack of the game for minus 8 yards.  

8:10: Deonte Banks returns the ensuing kickoff 33 yards. Not bad.

8:10: Cameron Dicker hits a 43-yard field43-yard field goal to get the Chargers on the board, but after the play, the Chargers get called for a personal foul, which will be assessed on the kickoff. NYG 10, LAC 3

8:14: Abdul Carter with the quarterback hit on an inside stunt. Herbert gets called for intentional grounding.

13:51: Giants convert the turnover into a 22-yard field goal by Jude McAtamney. Side note. Herbert's running down Dexter Lawrence after that pick saved the Chargers four points. NYG 10, LAC 0

First Quarter

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart
Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) hands the ball off to New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

END OF QUARTER

0:42: Whoa! Dexter Lawrence II bats Justin Herbert's pass and then picks it off. Returns it 37 yards to the Chargers' 3-yard line. That interception return was the longest by a Giants defensive lineman since a 41-yard return by Justin Tuck at St. Louis on 9/14/08.

2:46: Dart gets sacked at his 20 for a negative three yards.

Singletary is in at RB for this second Giants drive. I'm not sure why, after Skattebo seemed to have the hot hand to start.

CHARGERS INJURY ALERT: LT Joe Alt is being carted to the locker room. He has an ankle injury. Return is questionable.

7:23: Thibodeaux sacks Justin Herbert for a 1-yard loss. Also of note so far on defense: Dexter Lawrence has not come off the field yet.

Two things I liked about that opening drive. The running game--Skattebo had 27 yards on four attempts, and Dart had 28 rushing yards on three attempts. And the Giants wisely got Malik Nabers involved on that first drive, which is what you need to do.

9:25: Boom! Dart caps a gorgeous and creative drive for the Giants. That was a 15-yard run. NYG 7, LAC 0

13:11 - Dart tries to hit Nabers deep, but they draw a DPI from Tarheeb Still.

13:37 - Big cheer as Dart comes out onto the field.

Pregame

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) looks on before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium, Sep 28, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Giants Inactives

  • Tight end Thomas Fidone II
  • Offensive lineman Evan Neal
  • Safety Beaux Brade
  • Quarterback Jameis Winston II (emergency quarterback)
  • Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr (shoulder)
  • Defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (ankle)
  • Defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches (foot)

Chargers Inactives

  • Receiver Derius Davis
  • Safety R.J. Mickens
  • Cornerback Nikko Reed
  • Guard Mekhi Becton
  • Tight end Will Dissly
  • Defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia

Pregame thoughts…

I was surprised that the Giants didn’t elevate Dante “Turbo” Miller from the practice squad this week. Not only are the Giants paper thin at running back depth, but I can’t imagine they’ll have Devin Singletary handling kickoff return duties. Regarding kickoff return duties, I suspect Gunner Olszewski will handle those. 

I’m curious to see how much the offense changes with Dart running it. I suspect we’ll see a lot more read options with Dart, who, in his limited packages of plays out on display thus far, has run a number of those with a degree of success. I also suspect the Giants will run a quick passing game to help keep the Chargers defense at bay.

I just hope that if he does run, he has learned to slide and protect himself.

I am interested to see what Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter throws at Dart in terms of disguised coverages. I fully expect the Chargers defense to do a lot of disguising of their coverages and to try to take away the deep ball.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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