Matt Citak: Considering where the Giants are in the season, one of the most important parts of this final stretch of the 2025 campaign is the growth and development of their young players. Two in particular stand out to me in this regard. One is Abdul Carter, whom John already discussed. The other is obviously Jaxson Dart, who put together another strong, albeit not perfect, performance against the Commanders.
Dart struggled to get things going in the first half, as he completed just seven of his 16 pass attempts for 71 yards and in interception. But one of the biggest signs of growth from a young player, especially a quarterback, is his ability to bounce back, which is exactly what Dart did in the second half. In the second half, Dart went 13 of 20 for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He led the Giants down the field for their two second-half scores, another drive that resulted in a missed field goal, and a fourth drive that ended in a turnover on downs near the Commanders’ goal line. While the Giants scored 14 points in the second half, that number easily could have been a lot higher. On top of his production, Dart did a good job of protecting himself when running with the football. Dart got down on most of his nine rushing attempts without subjecting himself to any big hits, an encouraging sign of growth from the young quarterback.
“I thought he did a nice job,” interim head coach Mike Kafka said Monday about Dart protecting himself in Week 15. “He slid a few times. … In terms of out in the field scrambling, it’s not like he’s taking guys head on anymore. He’s picking an edge and at least picking a soft edge and trying to get himself down and protect the ball, which is most important, protect himself as well. I thought he did a nice job this week doing that.”
Through the first nine starts of his career, Dart has accounted for 20 total touchdowns (13 passing, seven rushing) versus six total turnovers (four interceptions, two fumbles lost). He has thrown for 1,802 yards while adding another 400 on the ground (5.7 yards per carry). Since 2000, he is one of just four quarterbacks across the NFL who have thrown for 1,800+ yards and rushed for 400 or more yards in their first nine starts, joining Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts, and Robert Griffin III.
When you add 20+ total touchdowns to the criteria, Dart lands in a tier by himself. With three games remaining, Dart has a good opportunity to close out his rookie campaign with a strong final stretch going up against some struggling defenses. While these last games may not have any playoff implications, a dominant run could help Dart’s chances of earning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.