It could've been worse: Wild move the Giants had to make on sidelines to keep injured Jaxson Dart from playing

Jaxson Dart ’s competitiveness nearly overruled common sense Monday night.

The New York Giants quarterback tried to get back into the game after injuring his left knee on the opening possession against the Los Angeles Rams , but the team’s medical staff refused to let him return and took away his uniform as a precaution.

The move wasn't disciplinary. It was designed to make sure Dart could not suit back up after doctors had ruled him out.

The injury happened with 11:20 left in the first quarter, when Rams edge rusher Byron Young hit Dart high as he released a third-down pass and Josaiah Stewart ’s body drove into the quarterback’s lower half.

Dart immediately grabbed his left knee. He eventually walked off under his own power, went into the medical tent and then headed to the locker room for further evaluation.

Despite the pain, Dart was reportedly intent on returning. Running back Cam Skattebo said the quarterback clearly was not happy about being kept out.

“He obviously probably wasn't OK with it,” Skattebo said. “He came out [to the sideline], gave us some energy and did what he had to do.

“If it's better for him to sit out and take a little rest to be healthy and be ready to go and be himself 100 percent, then I think that is the right decision.”

Dart underwent X-rays at the stadium, and the initial results were reportedly negative. Giants general manager Joe Schoen offered an encouraging update at halftime.

“He's going to be OK,” Schoen told ESPN’s Laura Rutledge. MRI will determine how much time Dart could miss The exact diagnosis had not yet been confirmed, although an MCL sprain was considered a possibility.

Coach John Harbaugh was cautious when asked about that report. “We’ll know tomorrow,” Harbaugh said. “That’s in the neighborhood of it, I would say.”

Dart is expected to undergo an MRI, and the Giants will wait for those results before setting any timeline for his return. That cautious approach makes sense given his injury history.

Dart previously dealt with a torn meniscus and MCL strain at USC, along with other injuries during college. He has also spoken openly about returning before he was fully healthy in the past.

Jameis Winston replaced him Monday and completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with an interception as the Giants fell 28-6. The encouraging part for New York is that early indications suggest the injury isn't season-ending.

“There’s no question,” Harbaugh said. “The fact that it’s not that outcome that you're talking about, the devastating outcome, is really good news.”