The New York Giants suffered a disappointing loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 10, failing to prevent the home team’s comeback. The team also lost its star quarterback, Jaxson Dart, during the game, after he’d been running all over Soldier Field as if he owned the place.
Dart left the game after taking a brutal hit, and the team later ruled him out due to a concussion. The Giants relied on veteran backup Russell Wilson to keep the lead, build on it, or regain it, but he failed to perform as well as Dart had while he was active.
Since Dart’s concussion, the Giants listed him as questionable on Sunday, but he hadn’t appeared on any of the team’s injury reports since then.
Amid the team’s struggles, including a 2-8 record after their loss to the Bears, the team fired head coach Brian Daboll earlier this week. Mike Kafka took over as the Giants’ interim head coach.
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It appears one of the first significant moves under Kafka has arrived, as ESPN reported that Dart “is unlikely to play” Sunday. The team has reportedly upgraded third-string QB Jameis Winston to his primary backup, per ESPN’s sources. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Giants are “expected to start” Winston in their game on Sunday.
They’ll face Jordan Love and a Green Bay Packers team coming off a close 10-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in “Monday Night Football.”
Winston is on his fourth NFL team during his career, previously playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, and Cleveland Browns. He has yet to play, let alone start, for the Giants this season after starting in seven games for the Browns in 2024.
He signed a two-year $8 million deal with the Giants in March and was named third-string QB before the season. However, now is his time to shine with a struggling team.
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Kafka takes over as interim head coach after working as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator. That had him working with the team’s quarterbacks, so he likely saw the need for a change at the position until Dart returns.
He’ll put his faith in Winston, who had a 2-5 record in those seven starts for Cleveland last season. To his credit, he boasted a winning record in 2016, going 9-7. However, will his return be celebrated as the right move, or will he show just how much more Dart’s return is needed?
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