The New York Giants lost more than just another game in the 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears. Rookie star QB Jaxson Dart took a big hit on a fumble in the third quarter. And while he was able to get back to his feet and even stayed in the game for the next drive, he ultimately had to leave.
Jaxson Dart’s Status for Sunday Is in Question
Dart’s head hit the ground while trying to make a play. He stayed for a couple of plays before someone called for him to get tested for a concussion, and he was ruled out in the fourth quarter.
Following the loss, head coach Brian Daboll admitted that the trainers felt something was off about Dart, which is why they decided to test him and ultimately kept him out of the game.
“Yeah, it’s unfortunate,” coach Brian Daboll said. “Unfortunately, he got hurt. So, with Dart it was going back out on the field, just didn’t seem right. So called the trainers over and said, ‘Let’s get him out and make sure he gets looked at. So, he went in and got looked at, evaluated for concussion.”
Russell Wilson took the reins of the offense for the remainder of the game, going three of seven for 45 passing yards and adding 12 rushing yards. He led the team down the field in his first drive, but the team failed to score from the one-yard line.
Jaxson Dart Needs to be More Careful
This was the fourth time that Dart was evaluated for a concussion in his rookie season. He’s taking way too many hits, and that has been a major concern for Giants fans and analysts every week. Even this week, he talked to the media about dialing back a little:
“Maybe a little bit. That’s definitely something that when you watch the tape back on, you try to think of those moments where you can save your body, a hit or not,” he said, per the team’s official transcript. “At the same time, it’s really hard for me in those moments because I just want to compete. Ultimately, I just want to score. I’m going to play the game the way I want to play the game.”
He ranks 16th in the league with a 77.7 PFSN impact metric, even ahead of stars like Baker Mayfield or Aaron Rodgers. But at the end of the day, it’ll be the Giants’ job to protect him from himself. His career is just getting started, and he still has his entire life ahead of him.
The Giants will face the Green Bay Packers next Sunday. At 2-8, they should err on the side of caution and give Dart more time to heal, especially with veterans like Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston also on the roster.
