Sometimes, the football gods serve up the perfect twist of irony. The New York Giants opened the preseason with a 34-25 win in Buffalo, and it was their rookie quarterback, the one plenty of people side-eyed back in April, who ended up commanding all of the attention. Jaxson Dart played with the kind of poise, touch, and presence you don’t usually see from a developmental rookie this early on.
He finished 12-of-19 for 154 yards and a touchdown, all while working without Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, or Darius Slayton in the lineup. The offense moved down the field fairly easily, helped along by timely throws and a willingness to stand tall in the pocket. It wasn’t flawless by any stretch, but it was the kind of start that makes fans lose their sanity in the best way.
Related: 4 telling observations from Jaxson Dart's preseason showing vs the Bills
The setting made it hard not to think about Brian Daboll’s earlier work in that same stadium. Buffalo was where Daboll helped turn Josh Allen into an MVP, and the hope now is that his newest project can follow a similar path. After Saturday, it’s tough not to at least entertain the idea.
Jaxson Dart just gave Giants fans a glimpse of Brian Daboll’s next big project
I’m not going to sit here and claim Dart is going to be the “next” Josh Allen. He won’t be. No matter how well he plays. They’re different quarterbacks with different skill sets, who just happened to have Dabs piloting their early careers.
The 22-year-old has already said he’s talked with the reigning MVP about how to navigate the head coach’s intricate offensive system. That’s a cool enough tidbit on its own, but it also makes this the perfect time to play a little revisionist history.
For the sake of comparison, Dart and Allen’s first preseason outings share a surprising amount in common. Both had the exact same number of pass attempts, but with the Giants rookie edging the NFL superstar in yards, completion percentage, and passer rating:
First preseason start | Jaxson Dart (2025) | Josh Allen (2018) |
|---|---|---|
Completions/attempts | 12/19 (63%) | 9/19 (47 %) |
Passing yards | 154 | 116 |
Passing touchdowns | 1 | 1 |
Turnovers (Y/N) | No | No |
QBR rating | 106.0 | 84.5 |
And while no one's declaring a winner... *inserts eyes emoji*
The Allen comparison isn’t as much of a lazy draft-season headline as it looks from the outside. Daboll spent four seasons in Buffalo, taking Allen from a scattershot rookie to one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
He built an offense around what his quarterback could do, challenged him to lead, and refused to shortcut the process. Allen calls him “probably the most influential” person in his career for a reason.
And it just so happens that’s the same guy in charge of Dart’s development. What a crazy coincidence that won't have me overreacting at all... That’s no guarantee Dart will get remotely similar results, but it’s exactly the kind of trait Daboll can work with.
It is only preseason, and the G-Men are planning to bring Dart along behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this season, but if Dabs can make lightning strike twice, it won't be long before the rookie forces the issue. Saturday showed there’s something really good here, and Giants fans are going to want to see more.