East Rutherford, N.J. – Jaxson Dart made a spectacular debut at MetLife Stadium, showing off his potential in the New York Giants’ 31-12 preseason victory over the Jets. The rookie first-round pick demonstrated why the Giants are excited about his future, filling in for starting quarterback Russell Wilson and delivering impressive performances both in the air and on the ground.
Dart’s night started with him stepping in for Wilson mid-drive, leading the offense and connecting with tight end Theo Johnson on a 30-yard pass. He capped a 71-yard opening drive of the second half with a touchdown pass to Greg Dulcich. Dart also showcased his mobility, scoring a rushing touchdown on a goal-line sneak after completing 13 consecutive passes.
Overall, Dart was an efficient 14 of 16 for 137 yards and a touchdown, giving fans a glimpse of his promise as a future franchise quarterback. His strong performance came before Jameis Winston took over the reins for the remainder of the game.
On the Jets’ side, the night was marred by injuries, including a shoulder injury to kick returner Xavier Gipson in the first half. Cornerback Sauce Gardner was also sidelined with a calf issue, while defensive end Rashad Weaver and cornerback Bump Cooper both left with hamstring injuries. Defensive end Will McDonald, who has a knee concern, did not see action, though Coach Glenn indicated it wasn’t serious.
Injury Report:
Jets: Gipson (shoulder), Gardner (calf), Weaver (hamstring), Cooper (hamstring), McDonald (knee)
Giants: Top receiver Malik Nabers was out, missing both the preseason opener and the joint practices with the Jets this week.
For the Jets, Russell Wilson delivered a memorable highlight with a deep 80-yard pass, what he called his “moon ball,” to undrafted free agent Beaux Collins. The throw was a beauty, with Wilson’s vision leading to a perfect connection that went for a big gain.
“That was just great vision by Russ,” said Giants’ coach Brian Daboll. “What a great ball, an 80-yard bomb dropped right in the bucket.”
Wilson finished the game with a solid 4 of 7 performance for 108 yards, but his night ended with an interception due to a miscommunication with Collins. Despite the hiccup, Wilson took the misfire in stride.
“We were on two different pages,” Wilson explained. “The good thing about preseason is you can see these things, talk about them, and improve. That’s why we play these games.”
On the flip side, Jets’ quarterback Justin Fields struggled to find rhythm, leaving the game early after just two run-heavy series. Fields completed only 1 of 5 passes for 4 yards, and the Jets’ starters were limited to just a 38-yard field goal by Nick Folk.
Fields’ performance came after an encouraging showing in the preseason opener against Green Bay, where he was 3 of 4 for 42 yards and a 13-yard touchdown run. However, Saturday night’s performance left much to be desired.
“We were sloppy, and the guys know that,” said first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. “It wasn’t good enough across the board, whether it was the starting offense, the second-team offense, or the third-team offense.”
Despite the rough outing, Glenn remains optimistic about Fields’ development. The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal to replace Aaron Rodgers and believes he’s on the right track, even as the passing game has struggled during training camp.
“We’re continuing to work through it,” Glenn said. “Justin’s doing everything that’s been asked of him. We just need to clean things up.”
As the preseason continues, the Giants look to build on their momentum, while the Jets will focus on finding their offensive rhythm before the regular season begins.
Next Up:
Jets: Host defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Friday night.
Giants: Host the New England Patriots Thursday night.
