Jaxson Dart sat slumped in his stall, a thick brace around his left knee under his sweats. The quarterback scrolled his phone as those around him dressed and retreated to the buses that would usher them to the airport, and back across the country.
This was supposed to be a Monday night statement — a chance for the Giants to show their season-opener was no admiration and they had arrived. Instead, seven plays into their clash with the Super Bowl favorite Rams, it all ended.
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Dart lay on the turf grasping his left knee after getting sandwiched between two defenders. He never returned. The Giants lost, 28-6, in a game that was nowhere even that close.
Jermaine Eluemunor called it a “gut punch.” Jameis Winston agreed. The grounded Giants are now left to wonder when their franchise passer will return. And how they survive in the interim.
A bad situation wasn’t the worst case for New York — they can take solace in that. Early indications are that Dart’s ACL is intact. The injury is a sprained, not torn, MCL, sources confirmed to SNY. The team is bracing for a two-three, two-four week absence from Dart, who was 3-of-5 passing for 20 yards before going down.
The Giants will turn to Winston in Dart’s absence. He was dreadful against the Rams. The veteran, who just signed a two-year, $13-million extension on Sept. 6, completed 11-of-27 passes (40.7 percent) for 111 yards with an interception. He had a quarterback rating of 37.7. Winston quarterbacked nine possessions on Monday night. Not one netted more than 50 yards.
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The 32-year-old said, after the Rams built their lead, they knew the “pass was coming,” which made it “very challenging” for the Giants to throw the ball. Winston didn’t comment much on the number of errant passes which bounced or sailed open receivers.
The Giants play the Titans (0-2), Cardinals (1-1), Commanders (0-2) and Saints (1-1) over the next four weeks. Winston started two games for the Giants in place of Dart last season. He went 0-2, throwing for 567 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He completed 56.1 percent of his throws.
Dart will play again this season, and will likely fight to be out there against Tennessee. The bigger concern is what Dart will look like when he returns. NFL sources, whose players have experienced these injuries before, described the recovery as a delicate one. While the players can return, specifically quarterbacks, they are not usually the same when back on the field. Their mobility is significantly more limited.
For a pure pocket quarterback – that’s not a big deal. For one whose mobility is as much a part of his game as his arm – it is. Dart looked significantly better in the season opener against the Cowboys playing within the confines of an offense, in the pocket. He completed 77 percent of his passes with two touchdowns. He is still a player best when on the move, able to improvise. That might not be an option when he returns.
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After speaking with the media, coach John Harbaugh returned to the Giants locker room. He spent time talking with different factions of the team. Some with rushers Abdul Carter and Brian Burns. Later with offensive linemen. Eventually, he made it over to Dart’s stall.
For nearly two decades, Harbaugh has roamed the sidelines. He’s put out his fair share of fires.
This is his first with New York.
Adversity struck. The Giants will be without Dart.
Time will tell if this sinks their season, or they survive.
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