Giants QB Jaxson Dart Just Silenced a Whole Lot of Doubters

For some reason, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart got very little respect throughout the offseason. This in spite of the fact that he put forth a very impressive showing during his rookie campaign last year.

Yes, health has been an issue for Dart, specifically when it comes to head injuries, so I can understand why people had some reservations. But it was the doubting of Dart's talent that had me a bit confused.

It's true that sophomore quarterbacks always have something to prove, and the jury is always out on them regardless of how well they played in Year 1. However, there seemed to be more concern than hope for Dart among many going into 2026.

Well, on Sunday night, the former first-round pick silenced a whole lot of critics with what was probably the best performance of his career.

Dart led the Giants to a 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys, going 23-for-29 with 230 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 54 yards (he had 59 before three kneeldowns to salt the game away).

The best part of Dart's outing? It was remarkably simple.

Sure, there were some beautiful bullets where Dart flashed his tremendous arm strength, but most of Dart's completions were quick, short-to-intermediate throws to extend drives and wear out the Cowboys defense.

Perhaps most notably, Dart largely kept himself out of harm's way, with the only truly dicey moment coming when he was hit by Dallas edge rusher DeMarvion Overshown when he had already gotten out of bounds early in the game.

Dart got the ball out quickly, and while he was sacked twice, he generally did a terrific job of avoiding the rush while also making smart decisions with the football, which was something we also saw in 2025. Dating back to last year, Dart now has 27 total touchdowns compared to seven turnovers. Not bad for a 23-year-old.

The biggest problem for Dart last year was not having enough weapons around him. This season, that has changed with a healthy Malik Nabers, a new tight end in Isaiah Likely and some nice ancillary playmakers, as well.

Dart took full advantage of every opportunity on Sunday evening and was in complete command throughout the affair, significantly outplaying Dak Prescott.

It was only one game, and Dart needs to have many more of these for any of us to truly say that he has officially arrived. But there is no question that his performance in such a high-pressure environment in Week 1 was more than just notable.