The Monday night showdown between the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams took a brutal turn. Giants QB Jaxson Dart went out with a knee injury and was replaced by Jameis Winston.

Watching Dart go down, holding his knee, was hard to watch. That was certainly the case for legendary Giants QB-turned-analyst Eli Manning, whose expression said it all, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

On the ManningCast with brother Peyton, the moment they saw Dart on the ground, Eli was stone-faced.

Peyton Manning and Eli Manning react in real time to Giants QB Jaxson Dart’s knee injury: pic.twitter.com/RVnv8g6eTM

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2026

The moment came earlier in the first quarter. Dart attempted to complete a pass on 3rd and 7 to TE Theo Johnson. Then, the picture spoke volumes.

Dart is listed as questionable to return to the game, but that seems really unlikely. It could also be an MCL issue, which could result in a 1- to 3-week absence, if not a 3-month absence. In Week 1, Dart helped lead the Giants to a win over the Dallas Cowboys to kick off the season under new head coach John Harbaugh.

Overall, Dart had a superb game. He completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.  After a rookie season following Russell Wilson, Dart came into the year as the starting QB.

If anything, he is looking to follow in the footsteps of Eli Manning. Obviously, Manning is a beloved member of the Giants family. He led the Giants on their improbable run to the Super Bowl in 2008, upsetting the undefeated New England Patriots 17-14.

As this story is published, the Rams lead the Giants 14-0 at halftime.