Talk about a first impression.
In his first NFL preseason action, Jaxson Dart had a largely efficient day while showing the confidence to be a pro starter someday as his New York Giants beat the Buffalo Bills 34-25 on the road Saturday afternoon.
“It was about what I thought he would do,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said of Dart, according to the team’s official website. “Efficient. Effective. Aggressive. Confident in the pocket.”
What stood out about Jaxson Dart’s first preseason game?
Dart, the former Roy and Corner Canyon High quarterback, entered the game on New York’s second drive after starter Russell Wilson led the team on an opening-series field goal drive.
Dart ended up completing 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown while leading four first-half possessions.
Three of those drives ended with points after his first drive stalled.
What was Jaxson Dart’s best drive?
The most impressive of those possessions was the second one Dart quarterbacked, as the Giants drove 80 yards in seven plays and scored a touchdown that put them ahead 10-0 in the early minutes of the second quarter.
Dart completed an 18-yard pass on third-and-9 early in the possession — a play in which he found his receiver a short ways downfield and allowed him the space to get the necessary yards after the catch for the first down — and tossed a 29-yard gain on the next play.
Dart nearly had a tipped ball intercepted later in the drive, but, showing poise that was often on display Saturday at Highmark Stadium, bounced back quickly and threw his best pass of the day on the next down.
With the Giants facing a third-and-6, Dart stepped up in the pocket, took a shot and still threw a perfectly timed ball to Lil’Jordan Humphrey, hitting him at the goal line in tight coverage for a 28-yard touchdown.
Dart completed 3 of 4 passes on that drive for 75 yards and the touchdown, and he also carried the ball twice for 5 yards, as he accounted for all 80 yards in the possession.
What else did Jaxson Dart do in his first NFL preseason action?
Dart, who was the No. 25 overall selection in April’s NFL draft, then led New York on two more possessions that ended up in field goals.
On the first of those field goal-scoring drives, the Giants found themselves operating inside their own 10 after a holding penalty, but Dart used a pair of screen passes — including one wherein he adjusted a pass to get it high enough to clear a defender’s hand — to pick up a first down.
Then Dart broke off for a 19-yard run, showing nice vision and decision-making as he weaved his way through the Buffalo defense to move the ball near midfield.
While a couple off-target throws later ended that drive, the Giants were able to get three points on a 50-yard Graham Gano field goal.
Then, with just over two minutes left in the first half, Dart directed his final drive, which started at the New York 36.
On that possession, Dart threw a strike in a collapsing pocket to Montrell Washington, gaining 18 yards on a second-and-15 play. He then found Washington for a 13-yard gain on the following snap, moving the Giants into Buffalo territory again.
That drive ended with another Gano field goal, this one from 51 yards out.
Dart led the Giants on scoring drives of 80, 51 and 31 yards.
What did other top Giants think of Jaxson Dart’s performance?
“Jaxson did a good job operating the offense, and I was glad he was able to get the two-minute drill in there in the end,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen said, per the team’s website.
Overall, Dart showed confidence and solid decision-making in his four possessions, with the ability to make a play when things broke down.
Wilson, the 14-year veteran, was impressed with what he saw from Dart.
“Being a pro and a vet that’s been doing it for a long time, you can feel that at practice, you can feel that out there today,” Wilson said of the rookie, per the team’s website. “The ball just comes out quick. There aren’t any defenses that he hasn’t seen before. He’s got very good command of the offense, and I feel like you felt that today.”
