Sunday was a crushing disappointment for the New York Giants. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is in concussion protocol after going down in the second half of their 24-20 defeat to the Chicago Bears. The injury came during the third quarter after taking a violent hit during a fumble recovery attempt. Dart’s head struck the asphalt with a disturbing thud. After what seemed like an eternity of kneeling on the pitch, he got to his feet gingerly and eventually walked off the field under his own power.
This incident would be the fourth time Dart has been assessed for a concussion this season—his rookie season— including through the preseason. Ever since he won the starting QB gig after Week 3, he’s been operating under constant duress. In reality, he’s been pressured more than all but one other QB in the entire league. He’s taking an average of almost 13 hits a game.
Before leaving the competition, Dart went 19-for-29 with 242 passing yards. He had 66 yards on the ground on six carries with two rushing touchdowns. Notably, he made history by becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to record a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games. All together, Dart has generated a remarkable 17 total touchdowns in his seven starts.
Dart was able to return to the field and played two more snaps. He quickly went to the blue medical tent for more in-depth analysis during the quarter’s changeover. New York Jets’ offensive lineman Greg Van Roten spoke about Dart’s condition saying that his helmet was eventually taken off and put on the sidelines before he was transported.
“I’d just say it’s unfortunate that he got hurt,” – Brian Daboll
After Dart’s unexpected departure, veteran quarterback Russell Wilson stepped in and just never found his groove. Wilson was only 3/7 passing for 45 yards. He took off on two separate runs, adding a combined 12 yards to his total.
The Giants had even more misery piled on as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention in the waning moments of the fourth quarter. With this loss they’ve tied a franchise record with their 11th consecutive road loss. It’s their fourth straight defeat this campaign, despite having a double-digit lead after halftime. Notably, they joined a rare group of teams since the 1970 merger to lose multiple games in a season after leading by 10 or more points in the final four minutes.
All class, Coach Daboll stated his frustration with Dart’s injury and the attention it took away from the game. He noted, “So with Dart it was going back out on the field, just didn’t seem right. So called the trainers over and said, ‘Let’s get him out and make sure he gets looked at.’”
Dart reflected on his playing style and the challenge of managing injuries. He acknowledged that he struggles with balancing safety and competition, stating, “At the same time, it’s really hard for me in those moments because I just want to compete. Ultimately, I just want to score.” He added, “I’m going to play the game the way I want to play the game.”
Despite Dart’s spectacular play for most of the game, the Giants failing to convert opportunities into points would be their demise. Wilson noted post-game, “We have to find a way to get a touchdown there.”
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