Herbert and company face the New York Giants in a classic west coast versus east coast clash
Los Angeles ChargersCredit: Los Angeles Chargers
As one of the few undefeated teams left standing in the NFL, the Chargers have been playing their very best football since the move back to Los Angeles.
QB Justin Herbert has been wheelin’ and dealin’ like never before thanks to an all-star cast surrounding him. In week 3, the Bolts were able to muster up a tough-earned victory against the Denver Broncos thanks to a clutch field goal from kicker Cameron Dicker to end the game. With the team sitting atop the AFC West, we can expect the same level of intensity this Sunday as the Chargers square off against the New York Giants.
The Giants are currently in an interesting spot. On one hand, they have one of the brightest receiver talents in the league with sophomore WR Malik Nabers. He is so talented, in fact, that many speculate that he’s one good quarterback away from laying down routine stat lines similar to other elite receivers such as Ceedee Lamb and Justin Jefferson.Â
Their rookie RB, Cam Skattebo, is also quickly gaining mass recognition with his ferocious running style, reminiscent of what we saw with prime RB Ezekiel Elliot during his time with the Dallas Cowboys. He runs hard and tackles even harder.Â
But on the other hand, the Giants face a glaring quarterback issue. For the past 3 games of the season, veteran QB Russell Wilson has been the starter at that position, though the results have been less than favorable. Earlier this week, head coach Brian Daboll made the surprising announcement that the team would continue forward with rookie QB Jaxon Dart at the helm, which left many shocked by such a drastic bombshell so early in the season.Â
Dart was selected 25th overall in this year’s draft, and with how colorful a reputation that passionate New York sports fans are known to have, he certainly has some big shoes to fill.Â
Typically, rookie QBs spend their first year in the league sitting behind veteran QBs to absorb and learn as much as they can about playing the position at the highest level in the world, which can be a sensitive transition for some. Historically, more often than not, rookie QBs who are thrown into the fire end up losing their confidence because of the sheer difference in athleticism and talent they face in the NFL versus in college. But sometimes QBs do need a couple of years as a starter to fully develop their skills in this league, with Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers as a prime example.
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With all that said, the Chargers, specifically their defense, shouldn’t face too many issues when applying pressure to Dart when he’s in the pocket. If things go as expected, the Chargers should cruise through this one easily, though crazier things have happened. The team must never allow Dart to warm up and start connecting on throws because, at the end of the day, this is his first NFL start, so there are a lot of unknown variables at play here. Will Dart succumb to the pressure of Derwin James? Or is he the real deal—someone that can succeed right off the bat as a rookie, like we saw with QB Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders last season?Â
We’ll have a chance to find out if the Chargers’ pressure will turn Jaxson Dart into a diamond or into dust this Sunday.Â