Giants stun Chargers in promising Jaxson Dart debut, but lose Malik Nabers to knee injury

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The New York Giants stunned the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday for a 21-18 win in a promising debut for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. 

But the win was overshadowed by a knee injury to star receiver Malik Nabers that's reportedly feared to be a torn ACL. Nabers injured his knee on a deep pass play in the first half

Outside of the injury to Nabers, there was a lot for the Giants to like from Dart's debut. He made plays with his arm and his legs throughout and looked comfortable in his first game as an NFL starting quarterback.

Dart and the Giants offense got a lot of help from an aggressive New York defense that forced to Justin Herbert interceptions and sacked him twice. It's a formula the Giants will likely continue to rely on as they look to develop their first-round rookie, who took over for an ineffective Russel Wilson following an 0-3 start. 

On Sunday it worked well enough to beat a previously 3-0 Chargers team that had stormed to the top of AFC West with one of the best starts in football.

Dart's first drive as an NFL starting quarterback went to script. His first NFL pass attempt went to Nabers and drew a pass interference penalty. His second was complete to Nabers for a 7-yard gain. 

When the drive was done, he'd completed both of his official pass attempts to Nabers and rushed three times for 28 yards while demonstrating impressive athleticism. 

He capped the drive with a delayed run the middle for a 15-yard touchdown scamper through the Chargers defense. 

The Giants scored two field goals on their remaining three drives of the half to go into the break with a 13-10 lead. They punted twice in the second half before Dart put his first NFL touchdown pass in the books. 

This one was set up by by an Adrian Phillips interception of Justin Herbert after Herbert's intended target Ladd McConkey fell down on the play. Phillips returned th e ball to the Chargers' 3-yard line. Dart took advantage of the short field with a shovel pass to tight end Theo Jackson on second-and-goal. 

The Giants had a chance late in the fourth quarter to extend a 21-18 lead to two possessions after securing first-and-goal at the 4-yard line. 

But the Chargers' defense stuffed three straight run plays to force fourth-and-goal. The Giants went for it and gave Dart the opportunity to make the play with his arm. He bought time to elude the Chargers pass rush and delivered a pass to Wan'Dale Robinson's hands in the end zone. 

But Robinson couldn't hang on to the ball after the touchdown when a hit from safety Alohi Gilman pried the ball loose. 

But New York's defense delivered on the ensuing Chargers drive. Brian Burns sacked Herbert for 16-yard loss on third-and-9, and the Giants got the ball back with 2:52 remaining after the punt. Dart led the Giants to a first down, and the New York ran all but 31 seconds off the clock before punting back to the Chargers deep in Los Angeles territory. 

The Chargers were not able to advance the ball, and the Giants held on for the upset win.