Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will make his first-ever NFL start on Sunday when his New York Giants host the Los Angeles Chargers, and that reportedly has his teammates “fired up.”
Dianna Russini of The Athletic provided a breakdown behind the scenes after the Giants named Dart the starter over veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who will now be the team’s backup.
“For Dart, the conversation went a step further. After FaceTiming his parents to share the news, he and Daboll sat down for a long film session Tuesday afternoon, breaking down Josh Allen’s highlights from Buffalo — Daboll once tutored Allen there — alongside some of Dart’s best plays from Ole Miss. The good news for the rookie is that the offense he ran in college has plenty of overlap with what Daboll runs now. They spent hours talking through it before hitting the field on Wednesday. ‘Dart’s a sponge,’ a Giants source said.
“And inside the Giants locker room, I’m told, they’re fired up. Several players on both sides of the ball, including team captains, reached out right away with calls and FaceTimes to let Dart know they’re behind him.”
‘”‘He has moxie. He has a legit chance of being great,’ another Giants person texted.”
It’s been a rough start for the 0-3 Giants, who began the year with a 21-6 loss to the Washington Commanders. The offense lit up the scoreboard in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, with Wilson throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns. However, the defense didn’t perform well in a 40-37 overtime loss.
The offense reverted to its Week 1 form last Sunday in a 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. And with that, the Giants turned to Dart, the No. 25 overall pick in the NFL draft.
Dart was exceptional in the preseason, completing 32-of-47 passes for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also showed off his wheels with 52 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries.
That versatility should help spark some life into a Giants offense that didn’t show any in Weeks 1 and 3.
The 22-year-old was great against tough competition at Ole Miss, too. Last year, Dart completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for 495 yards and three more scores.
Ultimately, Dart is being thrown into the fire. For starters, he’s being asked to rejuvenate a moribund franchise that’s lost 14 of its last 15 games. Secondly, he’s playing a stout 3-0 Chargers team that’s allowed the third-fewest points per game.
We’ll see how he meets the challenge soon enough at home. Kickoff at MetLife Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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