Giants Claim Narrow Victory Over Chargers 21-18: Key Takeaways from Jaxson Dart’s Debut Start

This week, the big story was the shift to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Veteran Russell Wilson stepped in as the backup after starting his 202nd career game.

Dart made his debut as the fourth rookie quarterback in Giants history to start in the common draft era, following Phil Simms, Eli Manning, and Daniel Jones. He’s also the first quarterback picked in the latter part of the first round to start within the first four weeks of his rookie season since Teddy Bridgewater in 2014.

In his first game, Dart completed 13 of 20 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. He also showcased his speed with 10 carries for 54 yards, though he was sacked five times.

His first play as a starter was a handoff to rookie Cam Skattebo, who gained five yards. Dart’s first pass attempt was to Malik Nabers but drew a pass interference penalty. His first completion went for seven yards, helping set the tone. Dart capped his initial drive, covering 89 yards in nine plays, with a stellar 15-yard touchdown run, giving the Giants an early lead.

Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. suffered a shoulder injury and was ruled out for the week, while Skattebo led the team with 79 rushing yards on 25 carries. Unfortunately, Nabers also faced injury, leaving the game with a knee issue after grabbing a pass early on.

Dart later entered concussion protocol after showing signs of a hamstring injury, allowing Wilson to take over momentarily. Dart returned after just two plays from Wilson, who recorded a fumble and a successful completion to Wan’Dale Robinson.

Despite some challenges, Dart earned his first touchdown pass with a clever shovel pass to tight end Theo Johnson, followed by a two-point conversion by Skattebo which extended the Giants’ lead to 21-10.

Left tackle Andrew Thomas played the full game, seeing significant improvement after a long absence due to injury. The Giants scored on two of their five red zone opportunities, a marked improvement from their previous 20% success rate.

Interestingly, the team’s time of possession heavily favored the Giants, dominating 35:28 compared to the Chargers’ 24:22. However, a missed opportunity occurred late in the game when Dart’s intended pass for Robinson fell incomplete on fourth down, leading to a turnover on downs.

In terms of performance metrics, Dart’s debut could be viewed against NFL trends. A 2022 study indicated that rookie quarterbacks who start early in their careers often face a steep learning curve, yet also show flashes of potential. Experts believe this mix of experience and reliance on running backs could be crucial for the Giants moving forward.

For more insight into the evolving quarterback landscape and rookie success rates, you might check out this [NFL research report](https://www.nfl.com/stats) presenting current statistics on quarterback performance and trends.

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