Matthew Stafford Touchdown Record Highlights Rams’ Rout of Giants

A week after getting embarrassed in Australia, the Rams needed a response. They got one, and then some. The Matthew Stafford touchdown record night at SoFi Stadium was the headline of a 28-6 blowout win over the Giants, and it came on the same evening Aaron Donald finally made his long-awaited return to the field.

Two storylines, one incredible Monday night. Let’s break it down.

Stafford Enters Rarefied Air

Stafford was nearly flawless, completing 22 of 31 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 10.5 yards per attempt against a Giants secondary that had no answers. But the box score only tells part of the story.

His third touchdown of the night, an 11-yard strike to Davante Adams in the third quarter, was the 426th regular-season touchdown pass of his career. That moved him past Philip Rivers and into sole possession of sixth place on the NFL’s all-time career touchdown passing list. By the time the clock hit zero, he’d added a fourth score to reach 427 for his career.

For context on just how exclusive that air is, only five quarterbacks in NFL history have thrown more touchdown passes than Stafford: Tom Brady (649), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539), Aaron Rodgers (528), and Brett Favre (508). Speaking to ESPN’s Lisa Salters afterward, Stafford kept it simple. “It’s a humbling feeling,” he said.

The Matthew Stafford touchdown record chase didn’t stop there either. His fourth touchdown pass, a five-yarder to tight end Terrance Ferguson, also tied him with Dan Marino for the sixth-most games in NFL history with four or more passing touchdowns.

A Statement After a Rough Week 1

This performance mattered beyond the milestone. Stafford had thrown zero touchdowns in the Rams’ season-opening 27-7 loss to the 49ers, a genuinely uncharacteristic outing for the reigning AP NFL MVP, who threw for 46 touchdowns last season and never went touchdown-less all year. Monday night put that stumble firmly in the rearview mirror.

Davante Adams made sure of it too, stepping up in a massive way with star receiver Puka Nacua ruled out due to a hip injury. Adams caught eight passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, marking the fourth-most receiving yards he’s produced in a single game across his 13-year career. Kyren Williams added a 10-yard touchdown grab of his own to round out Stafford’s big night through the air.

Aaron Donald’s Return Set the Tone

The other major storyline was every bit as emotional. Aaron Donald made his first appearance since retiring after the 2023 season, and Stafford didn’t hide how much it meant to the locker room. “He came running out of the tunnel and I couldn’t control myself,” Stafford said. “I was freaking fired up.”

On the field, Donald finished with three tackles and one quarterback pressure across 32 snaps, numbers that will naturally be picked apart given his legendary track record. Giants rookie right guard Francis Mauigoa actually held him without a pressure on eleven individual matchups, a genuinely impressive account of himself for a first-year lineman. Still, as multiple outlets noted afterward, Donald’s presence alone changed the entire complexion of L.A.’s defense and locker room energy.

New York didn’t make things easier on itself either. Quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury on the Giants’ opening drive, and initial reports suggested the damage might be worse than first believed. Backup Jameis Winston stepped in but could only manage two field goals as the Giants’ offense sputtered the rest of the way.

Key Takeaways

• Matthew Stafford passed Philip Rivers for sole possession of sixth on the NFL’s all-time touchdown passing list, finishing the night with 427 career touchdowns
• Stafford threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 22 of 31 passing in the Rams’ 28-6 win
• Davante Adams caught 8 passes for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns while filling in for an injured Puka Nacua
• Aaron Donald made his season debut, his first game since retiring after the 2023 season, finishing with 3 tackles and 1 pressure
• Giants QB Jaxson Dart exited with a knee injury on New York’s opening drive

Our Take

This is exactly the kind of response the Rams needed after an ugly trip to Australia. Stafford reminding the league why he’s the reigning MVP, on the same night Donald reminded everyone why his return mattered beyond the stat sheet, is about as complete a bounce-back as a franchise could hope for. The concerning part for the rest of the league is that this version of the Rams offense, with Adams stepping up and Stafford climbing the all-time record books, still hasn’t even gotten its top receiver back on the field yet. If you want the full story on how Donald’s night started, check out our breakdown of his season debut buildup heading into Monday night.

Think Stafford catches Brett Favre on the all-time list before he’s done? Let us know your prediction, we’ll be tracking his climb up the record books all season.