Giants hold on to beat the Titans 12-7 but lose Brian Burns to a knee injury

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Relying on running the ball in their first game without quarterback Jaxson Dart , the New York Giants held on to beat the Tennessee Titans 12-7 on Sunday but lost their most important defensive player, Brian Burns, to a knee injury.

Burns went down grabbing at his right knee midway through the fourth quarter and had to be helped off the field by offensive linemen Andrew Thomas and Aaron Stinnie. Burns played six days after spraining his left ankle in a defeat at the Los Angeles Rams , despite not practicing all week.

If it is significant like Dart's injury, which has him out for at least the remainder of the regular season, it is another blow to the Giants (2-1) after John Harbaugh's tenure as coach got off to a promising start. Burns ranked second in the NFL in sacks last season behind record-setter Myles Garrett.

In his first start in place of Dart, Jameis Winston did what he needed to do, completing 12 of 18 passes for 117 yards and scrambling 15 yards for a first down. With a nor’easter pounding the region, Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy kept the ball on the ground on a rainy, windy afternoon, piling up 141 yards rushing and getting four field goals from rookie kicker Dominic Zvada.

The Titans (0-3) narrowly avoided becoming the first NFL team in eight years to not pick up a first down before halftime. The offense run by former Giants coach Brian Daboll was held off the scoreboard until Cam Ward connected with Wan'Dale Robinson for the game's only touchdown with 5:35 left.

They would have scored earlier had Ward not missed Carnell Tate wide open in the end zone. Ward found a rhythm late but was picked off by Jevon Holland in the end zone with 17 seconds left.

It's Holland's third interception in as many games and Ward's first of the season.

Tennessee had blunders on offense, defense and special teams. Chimere Dike, an All-Pro as a rookie, fumbled the opening kickoff. It's the second fumble he has lost this season.

Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was one of the few bright spots for the Titans. He sacked Winston in the first half, when he made a career-high seven tackles. No other player at the position has had as many in a half this season.

Titans: Starting right guard Fernando Carmona left with an ankle injury on the team's first offensive play. ... Running back Tyjae Spears injured an ankle in the second half.

Giants: Defensive backs Deonte Banks and Tyler Nubin were out because of calf injuries.

Titans: Visit Baltimore next Sunday

Giants: Host Arizona next Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here