Eleven days ago the Rams landed back in Los Angeles with a 27-7 loss to San Francisco to think about — their season opener, played on the other side of the world at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. New York needed only eight days to enjoy the glow of its own opener, a 28-20 win over Dallas at home.
The extra time traces to a night Matthew Stafford would probably like back: 15 of 25 for 155 yards, no touchdowns, an interception, a 61.2 passer rating — his roughest statistical outing in recent memory. Puka Nacua, his top target, was a limited-to-no practice participant this week with a hip injury and is listed questionable for tonight.
None of that has moved the market much. Los Angeles is still favored by 6.5 at home, the dome and the extra rest apparently worth more to oddsmakers than a hot new quarterback — the Giants, for their part, just made the 2,450-mile flight west on a normal week's turnaround.
134.2. That's the passer rating Jaxson Dart posted in his first career start — 23 of 29 for 230 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions in a 28-20 win over Dallas that answered the only real question New York had entering the season.
He didn't do it alone. Isaiah Likely caught 8 passes for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns, Malik Nabers drew 9 targets, and Cam Skattebo added 81 rushing yards and a score on 18 carries out of the backfield — a full supporting cast, not just a hot quarterback.
Tonight is the harder test: Dart's first true road start, against a Rams defense that also allowed 27 points in its own opener, in a building that will be the loudest he's played in as a pro.
Six games remain in the regular season for both Toronto and Baltimore, and neither can afford to lose many more of them. Toronto's American League wild card elimination number sits at 3; Baltimore's is 2. They play each other tonight.
Toronto is 3.0 games back of the final wild card spot, Baltimore 5.0 back — both chasing the same crowded logjam, both running out of the schedule to close it. A loss tonight shrinks either number by one; a loss combined with a wild-card leader's win shrinks it faster.
Trey Yesavage takes the mound for Toronto against Baltimore's Shane Baz, in front of a moneyline that flipped overnight — Toronto opened as the favorite, and Baltimore is now the one favored at home, -112.
Three questions. Answers at the bottom.
3/3 = you're the sharp friend. 0/3 = you're reading the right newsletter.