If you thought Jaxson Dart’s first two wins were impressive, you probably had no idea what was coming next. The New York Giants blew a 19-0 lead. Then a 26-8 lead with under six minutes left. Then the game. Final score: 33-32. Don’t even ask how.
It was a loss unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. One that spiraled in real time. A special performance from your rookie quarterback — wasted. A game that looked like the team had finally turned a corner — detonated. This wasn’t just a blown opportunity. It was a full-on meltdown.
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Still, Dart showed a lot. Maybe not enough to win. But enough to know he’s still the guy. He finished 15-of-33 for 283 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and was sacked four times. Here are six takeaways from a game that no Giants fan is going to forget anytime soon — no matter how hard they try.
6 takeaways from Jaxson Dart's Week 7 loss vs Broncos
He's going to let this defense play with a lead (it's up to them if they hold it)
His three-game opening-drive touchdown streak ended, but the first-quarter fireworks didn’t. Dart’s second drive featured a perfect strike to Daniel Bellinger for a 44-yard touchdown. It looked like more of the same from the last two weeks — an offense setting the tone early.
But once the defense got spotted a multi-score lead, it imploded. This is not a Dart problem. This is a “what happened to the other side of the ball” problem. The formula was working. The execution wasn’t.
He’s still composed when everything’s crumbling
Dart’s second start against the New Orleans Saints might’ve been a dud, but his first and third were electric. His fourth, against the Broncos, should’ve been his signature game — instead, it turned into the one that got away. Fingers will point to the late turnover, but if the defense can't defend an 18-point lead late in the fourth — even after Dart got them the lead back with 37 seconds left in the game — then I don't really know.
That’s now three strong showings against playoff-caliber teams in four starts. The Saints loss stung. This one will haunt. But it’s getting clearer: the moment isn’t too big for Dart — it’s actually the team around him that needs to catch up.
He needs to get down
He's young. He's athletic. He's the future of the franchise. All the more reasons when a play isn't there, he shouldn't force anything. Every time he takes a hit, it looks like he could get injured. His tenacity and competitiveness are there — now he just needs to make sure it stays there by playing smart and not taking unnecessary hits.
Look no further than his apparent ankle injury he suffered while trying just a bit too hard to make something out of nothing. He ended up staying out there, but still. Spooky.
Trash talk won't throw him off his game
The week leading up to the game was littered with some smack talk. It came from both sides, but the instigators mainly came from the Ponies' side of the ball.
Outside linebackers Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto both made comments, looking to throw Big Blue off its game. Cooper's comments about Dart's swagger and being unimpressed are being served right back at him on a platter after arguably the best game of his career (at least stats-wise). He did end the game with a sack and a half on Dart, but he played a strong game regardless, even running in for a late score to put them back up, which should have secured the win.
Bonitto’s deleted post calling Giants fans delusional still aged like milk — Big Blue should have won the game, and the G-Men are fun to watch (when they don't blow 18-point leads)... so yes, delusion is part of the charm. But a dub would’ve made the burn a whole lot sweeter.
He's still a work in progress
Even though he fought like h-e-double hockey sticks to get this team a win, sometimes the effort is going to fall short. There was no better evidence of that than his fourth-quarter interception that was the catalyst for their epic 18-point collapse with six minutes left. Mistakes happen he's the youngest quarterback in the league, so there are growing pains, but this one hurt more than most.
Dart's still the Rookie of the Year frontrunner
He won’t have a full season’s worth of stats to rely on, but there’s no doubt he’s still right in the thick of the OROY race. The numbers will be what they are — it’s the context that should do him justice.
He’s now 2-2 as the starter, putting this winless, lifeless franchise on his back and dragging them into relevance. Even though they couldn’t close the door on Sunday, there’s no guaranteed loss every week anymore — which is more than any other Giants quarterback of the past five-plus years could say.