EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Kurt Warner played like he was in a daze and ended up in the hospital with a concussion.
Warner fumbled six times and lost three, one of which was recovered in the end zone by defensive end Kenny Holmes for a touchdown, as the New York Giants posted a 23-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams in a season opener matching conference rivals.
A two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, Warner was sacked six times, hit about a dozen times and intercepted once. His six fumbles fell one shy of the NFL record of seven set by Kansas City's Len Dawson in a 1964 game against San Diego.
After the game, Warner was hospitalized with a concussion and will remain there overnight for observation.
"He's got a concussion and they are going to keep him here overnight to check him out," Rams coach Mike Martz said. "He's got severe headaches and he's really nauseated. That is not a good sign. In retrospect, I wouldn't have played him. I'm sure he'll be fine."
The most brutal shot was administered late in the first half by middle linebacker Mike Barrow, who had two sacks and a forced fumble.
Martz believes Warner may have been disoriented after being hit in the end zone by rookie defensive tackle William Joseph, who jarred the ball loose and Holmes recovered it with 2:10 left in the first quarter, giving the Giants a 7-3 lead.
"I think it was probably the sack in the end zone when he whacked his head on the ground, but I'm not sure," Martz said.
Despite fumbling three times, losing two, and getting intercepted once in the first half, Warner came out to start the second half.
"The doctors did examine him (at halftime) and I didn't know that until I got on the field," Martz said. "They felt after examining him and talking to him he wasn't having any problems and he was answering the questions properly. He was never right. I shouldn't have played him."
Warner did pass for 342 yards, completing 34-of-54 passes, but threw for just one touchdown - a 37-yarder to Torry Holt with 57 seconds left in the third quarter after the Giants built a 23-6 lead.
It marked the fifth consecutive season and sixth time in seven years the teams have met. The Rams had won five straight before the Giants ended the streak with a 26-21 win at St. Louis last September.
Having figured out the formula to beating the Rams, the Giants executed the game plan again - pressuring Warner throughout and containing Marshall Faulk, who was held to 55 yards rushing and receiving.
"Pressuring the quarterback was paramount," said Giants coach Jim Fassel. "And obviously getting the fumble in the end zone and hitting him (Warner) and bouncing him around got him out of sync a little bit."
"They did everything right and we did everything wrong," said Faulk, who rushed for 28 yards on nine carries and caught seven passes for 27 yards. "If you turn it over, that's what's going to happen. We have been here before and made these mistakes."
Last season, the Rams were a league-worst minus-19 in turnover differential.
While the Giants held Faulk in check, the Rams did not do the same to Tiki Barber, who rushed for 146 yards on 24 carries. It was Barber's 10th career 100-yard game.
Kerry Collins, who led the NFC with 4,073 passing yards last season, completed 14-of-26 passes for 202 yards, including a 77-yard bomb down the sideline to Amani Toomer.
The Giants also squandered opportunities with three first-half fumbles.
Matt Bryant, who survived a second season when Mike Hollis was injured in preseason, kicked field goals of 24, 47 and 44 yards for New York.
Brian Mitchell scored on a one-yard run with 5:03 left in the third quarter for the Giants' offense only touchdown after Barber broke off runs of 15 and 22 yards.
"They told me I'd get a chance to get the ball today if Tiki needed some rest," Mitchell said. "He just had two nice runs so they brought me in and gave me the opportunity to run the ball down low. I came around and saw a little crease and I was able to power through because the line gave me room to get in there."
Jeff Wilkins kicked field goals of 39 and 28 yards in the first half for St. Louis following Giants' turnovers. The first came after cornerback Jerametrius Butler forced a fumble by receiver Ike Hilliard and safety Aeneas Williams recovered for the Rams at the New York 23. The second came after defensive end Leonard Little jarred the ball loose from Collins and fellow end Grant Wistrom recovered at the New York 45.
Holmes' touchdown came with 2:10 left in the first quarter. Warner had plenty of time to get rid of the ball while facing pressure in the end zone, but held the ball and had it knocked loose when he was hit by Joseph. Holmes fell on it for a touchdown.
"To score the first touchdown of the year is big, but to do it the way we did it today was great," Holmes said. "William had the guy wrapped up and I came around and the ball was there."
Holmes recovered another fumble by Warner after he was popped by Barrow at the New York 11 in the second quarter. Collins then connected with Toomer, who beat cornerback Travis Fisher on a stop-and-go down the left sideline, for a 77-yard play to the St. Louis 12. That set up a 24-yard field goal by Bryant.
