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New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart looks like a future star
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- New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart looks like a future star
Yes, we know Jaxson Dart in the preseason was going against future plumbers and Canadian Football League players. (Not that there's anything wrong with that. Plumbers make a lot of cash and Canada is lovely this time of year.) Yes, we know it's preseason . Yes, things will be different when he goes against real NFL defenses. Yes, yes, yes.
All true but just, for a moment, look at these numbers for all of Dart's preseason:
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32 of 47 passing.
372 passing yards.
Three passing touchdowns.
Zero interceptions.
Six rushes for 52 yards and a score.
In 12 drives.
Sorry to go all single paragraph on you with the stats, but that's a monster preseason. I'm not saying he's John Elway, but he reminds me of a young John Elway.
Mike, what the hell are you doing? Keep Elway's name out of your mouth. It's preseason. Take a Xanax.
I've tried to stay calm, but in watching Dart closely this preseason you see in him what you do with young players who eventually become good in the NFL. Or great. There's a comfort Dart displays that is almost uncanny. He doesn't get rattled and looks like he's been in the league for years.
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It was clear that Dart was a good athlete. We saw that in college. But many times that athleticism doesn't translate into the pros. Even in the preseason. But, hoo boy, is it translating for Dart.
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll has insisted that Russell Wilson is the starter, but yeah that won't last. There's almost zero chance Wilson starts the entire season, injuries or no injuries. It would be stunning if Wilson lasted past Week 5.
Dude, calm yourself. Calm. Yourself.
You calm down. I'm just telling you what's going to happen. This is incredibly predictable, and if I'm wrong I know you people won't hesitate to remind me.
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In all seriousness, what he's done is impressive. He started against the New England Patriots in the team's Thursday preseason finale and made an impact early when he scrambled and found Gunner Olszewski on a short pass. Olszewski ran for 50 yards. That drive ended with Dart throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass.
Giants receivers dropped five passes, and it didn't matter to Dart. Learning experience.
Once, he got carried away on a scramble, didn't go out of bounds, and got hit from behind. Cameras caught Daboll telling Dart: "Slide." Learning experience.
Preseason is to regular season what a starship is to a shuttlecraft. In preseason, no defensive coordinator is spending the week hardcore game-planning against you. Dart isn't seeing sophisticated blitzes and schemes. He's facing complete blandness and not even close to what the NFL has to offer in terms of defensive athletes.
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But when I watch him, I don't feel like the game is above him. Or too difficult, and I think he can adapt.
He'll make mistakes, sure. He's a rookie. Dan Marino made mistakes. So did Elway. ( There you go with Elway again. )
There will be ups and downs and risks but what he did in the preseason was fairly telling.
Looking at the Giants schedule , the team seems unlikely to start him in the season opener against Washington. That would be a little much. Then come games against Dallas , Kansas City, the Chargers and the Saints. If Wilson is struggling, that Saints game might be a place to make a change.
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Yes, we know Jaxson Dart in the preseason was going against future plumbers and CFL players. But watch out, Russell Wilson .
Watch out.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is going to be a star
