Jaxson Dart’s first preseason snap under John Harbaugh came with a familiar jolt: another concussion check.
The Giants quarterback was evaluated after taking a hit in Saturday’s opener against the Minnesota Vikings, then cleared, returned, and finished the sequence the way New York wanted - with a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Malachi Fields. Still, the scene was hard to ignore. Dart’s habit of ending up in the blue medical tent as a rookie showed up again in his first live action since January, and it came after a brutal sack that rattled him.
Dart and the starters were on the field for two series, one against Minnesota’s starting defense and part of another against the Vikings’ backups. Left tackle Andrew Thomas and wide receiver Malik Nabers were the only healthy exceptions held out.
The stat line was modest but clean enough: 3 of 4 for 26 yards, one touchdown and two sacks. Dart completed two passes to tight end Isaiah Likely and found Fields for a 15-yard score.
His night started with a short, stalled drive. Dallas Turner got home for a sack on the opening possession after Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores sent pressure and Dart didn’t get the ball out.
The second series looked better on the ground for New York, at least until 2nd and 10 from the Minnesota 40. That’s when Vikings safety Jay Ward came flying through on an 8-yard sack that clearly shook Dart up.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. missed his block on the right edge, which opened the door for Ward. Dart, though, also never worked to the right side of the field.
The design appeared to send him left, where Darius Slayton, Braxton Berrios and Likely were running routes. But the other side offered a better answer if Dart had recognized it: Calvin Austin isolated on a corner with no safety help over the top, while Ward was already set to blitz.
The Giants got one encouraging answer from the sequence, and it came after Dart was checked out. He was cleared, came back in, and then made a play outside structure, scrambling and throwing to Fields on the left side of the end zone. New York was already in the red zone thanks to a 40-yard screen from Jameis Winston to Devin Singletary while Dart was in the tent.
Even so, the early hit was a reminder of the same issue that followed Dart through his rookie year. He was evaluated for a concussion five times last season and diagnosed with one confirmed concussion. He absorbed 146 hits in 12 starts and drew criticism from inside and outside the building for the way he put himself in harm’s way as a runner.
There was also a notable decision from Harbaugh after the evaluation. The new head coach put Dart back into the game after he had been cleared by team trainers and doctors. That was different from last season’s approach under Brian Daboll, who had been criticized for chasing Dart into the tent.
For all the positives, Saturday also made one thing plain: this offense still has work to do before Sept. 13, when the Cowboys come to town for a prime-time matchup.
Odell Beckham Jr. provided one of the night’s loudest reactions, but not much in the way of a clean path back up the depth chart. Beckham didn’t enter until about 5 1/2 minutes remained in the first half, and the crowd roared when he took his first snap as a Giant since 2018. They cheered again when he caught a 7-yard slant from Winston.
But that was about as bright as it got. Winston later missed Beckham downfield when he was open, choosing a quick underneath throw as New York tried to set up a Ben Sauls 46-yard field goal before halftime. Beckham then worked with third-string quarterback Brandon Allen, whose first throw was intercepted on a pass intended for OBJ.
The playing time said plenty. Beckham is clearly behind Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Fields and Calvin Austin, and he’s also battling Berrios for a roster spot. Berrios was flagged for a false start and added a nine-yard catch.
Fields, the third-round pick, was one of the rookies who made a real impact. He finished with three catches for 34 yards and the touchdown. First-round right guard Sisi Mauigoa held up well in the run game, and first-round linebacker Arvell Reese made a strong stop on New York’s opening drive by shedding a block and dropping the ballcarrier.
The defense, meanwhile, will have plenty to review from the start even with several veteran linemen sitting out. Minnesota ran six times for 44 yards on its opening possession, including an 18-yard carry by Aaron Jones and a 15-yard run by Jordan Mason.
There was another near-miss later, when interior defensive lineman Leki Fotu, who started on defense, nearly picked off a Carson Wentz pass and also got a breakup underneath.
Harbaugh also had his first challenge as Giants head coach. He threw the flag after what was ruled a catch and first down on a third-down pass from Kyler Murray to Jordan Addison against rookie corner Colton Hood.
The replay left it murky, and the call stood. New York lost both the challenge and a timeout.
Harbaugh did not dress a long list of veterans, including Thomas, Brian Burns, Jevon Holland, Tremaine Edmunds, DJ Reader and Shelby Harris. Injured players out included Nabers, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalin Hyatt, John Michael Schmitz, Lucas Patrick, Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome and Dru Phillips.
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