Call us impulsive. Call us delusional. Just don’t call us quarterback-starved. Because if New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart keeps playing like this, the teams that passed on him are going to regret it. And if you believe one of the most respected defensive minds in football, that regret might already be setting in.
It didn't take long for the rest of the league to take notice. Since taking over as the starter in Week 4, he's re-energized a fan base starving for relevance. And he's caught the attention of Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
The G-Men will head to Philly to take on the Birds for the second time in three weeks on Sunday, hoping for a similar Week 6 result. Fangio, typically a reserved personality when addressing the media, didn't mince words when discussing Dart's impact under center. The defensive savant officially put the rookie quarterback in the ruh-roh bucket:
"One lesson is learned and the teams that need quarterbacks that bypass them, they're going to regret that. Obviously very athletic, an elite scrambler. I think their coaches have done a great job with him. They've developed the offense around him, throws the ball very well, intermediate and deep, and he's a good player."Vic Fangio
Jaxson Dart earns big praise from Vic Fangio ahead of Giants-Eagles rematch
Two weeks ago at MetLife Stadium, Dart became the first rookie quarterback ever to beat a reigning Super Bowl MVP (Jalen Hurts) head-to-head in primetime within his first three career starts.
He completed 17 of 25 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown, joining Hurts and Lamar Jackson as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era with 50-plus rushing yards in each of their first three starts.
The Eagles' defense allowed 34 points that night — the second-most surrendered since Vic Fangio took over as coordinator — and the former Ole Miss Rebel was at the center of it all. He kept it rolling in Week 7 with a career-high 283 yards, three touchdown passes, and a go-ahead rushing score that should've capped one of the wildest fourth quarters ever.
The rookie’s already accounted for 10 total touchdowns in his first four starts, a mark only matched by Justin Herbert and Deshaun Watson since 2000. Even in a crushing loss to Denver, his performance stood out, and not just to the fans. Even Denver linebacker Nik Bonitto finally came around to the delusional side.
Now, for the first time in his young career, Dart gets to see a defense for the second time. And if early returns mean anything, teams that passed on him won’t have to wait long to feel the regret Vic Fangio was talking about.