By Ian Van Roy
Copyright sportskeeda
Jaxson Dart made his first start during the Sept. 28 Week 4 Sunday slate. With so many games going on at the same time, it was easy to lose Dart in the shuffle. Dart, a first-round pick, led the FBS in yards per attempt and the SEC in completion percentage and total passing yards in 2024 (Sports Reference), setting high expectations for his NFL career.Of course, every career begins with a first step, and Dart’s was against the Los Angeles Chargers. With the dust now settled, how well did the New York Giants rookie play in his first start? Here’s a look at the final tally as well as a recounting of what took place in the contest.It all started with a Chargers punt, giving Dart a clean start at 0-0. He capitalized, rushing in for a touchdown, leading a nine-play, 89-yard drive that went for 4:17. However, it was his last scoring drive of the half aside from two second-half field goal drives.One field goal drive was set up by an interception by Justin Herbert, but it only lasted four plays for -1 yard. The other field goal drive was much more impressive as a 15-play. 6:14 drive. Dart’s Giants went into halftime up 13-10 over the undefeated Herbert, although their lead made it clear the rookie was going to need to deliver to win the game in the second half.In the second half, Dart was taken out of the lineup temporarily, allowing for a brief Russell Wilson sighting. Dart was evaluated for a concussion, returning to the game. The quarterback then delivered his first NFL touchdown pass via shovel pass to Theo Johnson, managing to help the team convert a two-point try.The Los Angeles Chargers managed to get one final shot, but thanks to some late-half work by Dart, the team was stopped, giving Dart the biggest upset of the season thus far.Jaxson Dart’s stats today vs. ChargersYou can find the final production totals of Jaxson Dart’s first start below, including his throws, completions, passing touchdowns, and more.Completions: 13Passing Attempts: 20Passing Yards: 111Completion percentage: 65%Passing Touchdowns: 1Interceptions: 0Passer Rating: 96Rushing Attempts: 10Rushing Yards:54Rushing Touchdowns: 1In the first half, Dart did what could be expected from the rookie, delivering some passes between the 20-yard lines but failing to capitalize with his arm in the redzone. He was visibly frozen on a few plays, but managed to avoid turning the ball over, throwing it away on one play in particular.In the third quarter, Jaxson Dart raised concerns about his longevity, but after a quick trip to the blue medical tent, he erased those. His touchdown pass was on a play that was rookie-friendly, and was overall seen using his legs when it mattered more than his arm.Jaxson Dart’s most impressive pass of the day was a 3rd-and-5 late in the game, in which he was able to convert to help milk most of the clock off the board.
