Matthew Stafford turned the Los Angeles Rams’ first win of the 2026 season into another career milestone, passing Philip Rivers for sixth place on the NFL’s all-time regular-season passing touchdown list during Monday night’s 28-6 victory over the New York Giants.
Stafford reached 426 career touchdown passes when he connected with Davante Adams for an 11-yard score in the third quarter, moving him past Rivers. He added another touchdown in the fourth quarter and finished the night with four scoring passes, 327 passing yards and a commanding bounce-back performance after Los Angeles’ difficult Week 1 opener.
Stafford moves into sixth place on the NFL touchdown list
The record-book moment came on Stafford’s third touchdown pass of the night. The Rams’ official site noted that the throw moved him to 426 career passing touchdowns, one ahead of Rivers, who finished with 425. Stafford later found tight end Terrance Ferguson for his fourth touchdown of the game, taking his career total to 427.
The same night also moved Stafford into sole possession of second place in Rams franchise history in passing touchdowns. According to the team, he needed two entering the game and secured that franchise milestone on his second touchdown pass, a 10-yard connection with Kyren Williams.
The timing mattered for Los Angeles. FSN examined the Rams’ veteran-heavy roster construction after Week 1 in its look at the team’s top-heavy Super Bowl push. Monday offered a much clearer version of what that bet can look like when Stafford is in rhythm.
Davante Adams gives Stafford a dominant target without Puka Nacua
Stafford’s biggest partner was Adams, who caught eight passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. The veteran receiver scored on a 31-yard pass in the first quarter and again from 11 yards in the third, providing the explosive production Los Angeles needed with Puka Nacua inactive because of his hip injury.
Nacua’s availability had been a major storyline throughout the week. FSN previously reported that Nacua was questionable after missing consecutive practices. Even without him, the Stafford-Adams connection repeatedly stressed a Giants secondary that could not keep Los Angeles from producing four touchdown drives.
Stafford completed 22 of 31 passes. In addition to the two scores to Adams, he threw touchdowns to Williams and Ferguson. The Rams scored one touchdown in every quarter and never trailed.
Aaron Donald’s return adds another veteran boost
The offense was not the only major veteran storyline. Aaron Donald played his first NFL game in 32 months after coming out of retirement, finishing with three tackles as Los Angeles improved to 1-1.
FSN had already covered the final step before the comeback when Sean McVay confirmed Donald would return against the Giants. Monday moved that story from anticipation to actual game action, and the Rams were able to pair Donald’s presence with a much sharper offensive performance.
Why Stafford’s milestone matters beyond the record
The all-time ranking is significant on its own, but the larger takeaway for Los Angeles is how Stafford reached it. After the Rams failed to generate a passing touchdown in Week 1, he responded with four in prime time while playing without Nacua.
For a team built around established stars, that is the formula the Rams need: Stafford creating explosive plays, Adams winning high-value targets, and the defense getting enough disruption to keep games on schedule. One September win does not settle the larger questions surrounding Los Angeles, but it does show the ceiling of an offense led by a quarterback who continues to climb the league’s career leaderboards.
What comes next
Stafford’s next statistical target is far enough away that the immediate story is less about chasing another name and more about sustaining Monday’s level of play. The Rams leave Week 2 at 1-1 with their quarterback coming off a four-touchdown performance, Adams producing one of the biggest receiving games of the young season, and Donald officially back in the lineup.