Jaxson Dart needed medical attention on the first drive of Week 2’s showdown between the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams. The Giants’ quarterback was sandwiched by two pass-rushers, with one of them hitting him awkwardly in his left knee, making NFL fans turn their eyes away from the television. Although Dart was able to walk off the field under his own power, John Harbaugh has already sent Jameis Winston onto the field at SoFi Stadium.
After a short stop by the blue medical tent, Dart headed down the tunnel and into the locker room, not the X-ray room. Perhaps an encouraging sign, the Giants’ starting quarterback against the Rams was able to walk there under his own power, though with a visible limp.
Ahead of the second half, Dart was confirmed out. “Giants have ruled QB Jaxson Dart (knee) out for the rest of the game,” NorthJersey’s Art Stapleton reported. For the time being, Winston will run Matt Nagy’s Giants offense, but the fear of a potentially severe injury remains around Dart.
In Hollywood, New York’s night got off to a horror movie start. To make matters worse, the Giants’ woes continued as Malik Nabers momentarily exited the game injured. However, the wideout quickly returned to action. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Dart. By the fourth quarter, the Ole Miss product was seen in street clothes watching Winston lead the offense.
Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants.
NY Giants are in QB trouble
With Dart out for the remainder of the Giants’ visit to the City of Angels, Harbaugh is down to his last option at quarterback. While discouraging to watch Dart go down with an injury early in a crucial game, keeping Winston healthy is now a top priority. New York has no other option at football’s most important position.
The G-Men don’t have a third, emergency quarterback designated for their primetime game at Rams House. If anything happens to Winston, they will have to improvise, and that’s far from ideal this early in the campaign. Odell Beckham Jr. could be an option for New York at quarterback in case they need to resort to an “in case of emergency” option.
Dart walking off the field could mean nothing
Although it’s always better than the alternative of being carted off the field, the fact that a player is able to put some weight on his legs after a lower-body injury isn’t as telling as many fans may think. Thus, for the time being, no conclusions can be drawn from Dart walking off the field on his own.
Still, Giants general manager Joe Schoen provided an optimistic update on Dart. That said, until further testing is conducted, every option remains on the table. That includes good, bad, and worst-case news.
Key takeaways
- Jaxson Dart exited Monday’s game early following a hit to his left knee.
- Backup quarterback Jameis Winston entered to run the G-Men offense for Matt Nagy.
- Dart didn’t return to the game and was seen in street clothes in the fourth quarter.
