The Giants left Monday night with a loss that hurt in more ways than one, and the biggest concern may not even be the final score. Jaxson Dart’s knee injury has thrown the offense into uncertainty, and if he’s out for any meaningful stretch, the burden shifts fast to Jameis Winston.
That’s not exactly a comforting fallback after what happened against the Rams. Winston, despite his recent two-year, $13 million extension, struggled to settle the Giants down once he entered the game.
The passing game never got into a groove, and the offense spent too much of the night chasing bad down-and-distance situations. Winston put it bluntly: “They knew a pass was coming.
When you know a pass is coming -- it’s very challenging to throw the ball when (they) know that a pass is coming,” Winston said. “We have just got to execute better.
We are focusing on being in better down the distance. We went in third-and-long a lot, so I have to execute better on first and second down… Pressure is for the unprepared.
You keep preparing. You be ready.
So, whatever happens, happens.”
The concern around Dart is now spilling beyond this week. One report raised the possibility that the uncertainty could even reach the 2027 draft if the Giants struggle without him and end up picking high. That would force a tough quarterback decision for John Harbaugh and Schoen: stay with a passer whose upside they’ve seen, or start over.
There are also real worries about Malik Nabers, whose shoulder injury drew attention after the game. One explanation suggested the issue could be tied to a previous injury, which would make it easier for the shoulder to pop out again.
Dr. Jesse Morse wrote on X: “Which means he’s done this before, allowing it to be much easier to pop out (as you can see by the benign play it happened on),” Dr.
Jesse Morse wrote on X. “The question becomes: How much new damage did this cause?”
He added that the outcome could range from Nabers playing next week with a brace to missing a couple weeks, with something worse also possible if there is a fracture.
The rest of the night only added to the frustration. Odell Beckham Jr. was on the field for just three plays, and he still hasn’t been targeted through two games.
In Week 2, he played three snaps out of 58 offensive plays, while Malachi Fields had 47, Malik Nabers had 43, Darnell Mooney had 42, and Braxton Berrios - mostly a special-teamer - got five offensive snaps. In Week 1, Beckham was on the field for 11 of 69 snaps.
From a team standpoint, the numbers told the same story as the eye test. CBS Sports gave the Giants a D, calling it a nightmare loss and pointing to the offense’s collapse once Dart left.
The defense also drew heat after a strong Week 1 showing. The Rams rushed for 165 yards, the Giants had trouble covering Davante Adams, and Matthew Stafford had too much time to work.
The result was a blowout that left the Giants hoping Dart’s absence won’t last long.
Inside the locker room, the message was about shaking it off quickly. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said, “For us to come in here and lose this game, obviously it sucks,” said right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. “But you get punched in the face, you’ve got to get back up and keep going because we’ve still got 15 more rounds.”
In Other News...
Giants QB Search Already Hit One Very Public Dead End
The Giants quarterback search has quickly become one of the leagues more watched side stories after Jaxson Darts season-ending knee injury left the team scrambling for answers. Jameis Winston is the current primary option, but the usual swirl of names followed almost immediately, with Shedeur Sanders and Jimmy Garoppolo both surfacing as possible alternatives as New York looks for stability under center.
One of those possibilities, at least publicly, has already gone nowhere. Derek Carr, who retired and has spent his time away from football focusing on personal interests like gaming, has dismissed any notion of a comeback, knocking down the kind of rumor that tends to follow a team when it is searching for help at quarterback. For the Giants, it is a reminder that finding a viable solution may be easier to discuss than to actually secure. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Suddenly Have A Familiar Quarterback Decision To Make
The Giants are back in the market for quarterback help after Jaxson Dart was ruled out for the season with a knee injury, and the timing has quickly turned a familiar name into a possible solution. One of the options being discussed is a trade for Tommy DeVito, now with the New England Patriots, as the team sorts through how to shore up the spot behind its current starter.
DeVito would bring something the Giants value in this kind of emergency, namely NFL reps and some comfort with the organizations overall environment. He has played in 12 games and made eight starts, completing 65.3 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, which is enough to make him a credible backup candidate while the Giants decide how aggressive they want to be. [Read more 🡒]
Jaxson Dart Gave Giants Fans One Reason To Smile This Week
The Giants got a sobering update on Jaxson Dart this week, with the rookie quarterbacks left knee injury serious enough to require surgery and end his 2026 season. The damage includes his MCL, PCL and meniscus, while the ACL remains intact, and head coach John Harbaugh confirmed Dart will miss the regular season as Jameis Winston steps into the starting role.
Even with the long recovery ahead, there was at least one encouraging note for Giants fans to hang onto: Harbaugh said Dart has a slim chance to return if the team reaches the playoffs. It is hardly the kind of news anyone wanted to be discussing after the injury, but in a season suddenly without its young quarterback, even a small opening can feel meaningful. [Read more 🡒]