The notion that the New York Giants would swap quarterbacks this season had seemed to be a matter of when, not if, since April. Buying and selling up within the NFL draft to pick out a quarterback within the first spherical has a approach of beginning a clock on such selections.
That change, formally, got here in Week 4, and the timing was inauspicious. The Giants, winless and struggling, had been internet hosting the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers, who had staked their declare to be mentioned as a possible Tremendous Bowl contender.
In a sport through which every crew suffered a major loss, it was Dart who gave the Giants two issues they’d been missing most the season.
A win, plus some hope.
Beginning with an opening-drive landing capped by a designed run by Dart — the Giants’ first first-quarter landing this season — New York beat the Chargers 21-18 in Dart’s first profession begin.
Dart threw for 111 yards and a landing however was sacked 5 occasions. He additionally ran for 54 yards. At one level he was evaluated for a concussion however returned to the sport.
One week after house followers booed starter Russell Wilson because the Giants mustered one landing in a loss to Kansas Metropolis, Dart drew huge applause for bouncing off tacklers after his quarterback sneak appeared to have been stuffed within the fourth quarter, just for him to remain upright and scramble for a primary down.
Giants coach Brian Daboll, whose firing some followers had known as for after the 0-3 begin, pulled Dart in for an embrace on the remaining whistle.
“Glad we obtained him,” Daboll mentioned.
New York could have solved its quarterback concern, nevertheless it now has a large receiver drawback after star wideout Malik Nabers left the sport with what was reportedly a feared ACL tear in his knee, after it buckled whereas he was leaping for a second-quarter goal. Nabers caught two passes for 20 yards earlier than he left.
The Chargers (3-1) may additionally face a longer-term absence. Offensive lineman Joe Alt, a first-round choose in 2024, was carted off with an ankle harm within the first quarter. The crew’s Tremendous Bowl ambitions hinge on the manufacturing of quarterback Justin Herbert, however enjoying behind a patchwork offensive line that already misplaced one starter, Rashawn Slater, to harm within the preseason — an harm that shifted Alt to left deal with — Herbert had been blitzed 39 occasions, second-most within the league, via Week 3 and confronted the sixth-most pressures.
The hits Herbert took Sunday had been “very regarding,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned.
Alt’s harm additionally comes on the heels of different accidents which have depleted the crew’s depth cart, together with operating again Najee Harris.
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