Big Blue View
The New York Giants return to action this week with four games to play in yet another season gone wrong. At 2-11 with a seven-game losing streak, an interim head coach, and an interim defensive coordinator, it would be easy to think there aren’t reasons to watch the Giants over the final month.
There are, though, always reasons to watch. Here are five.
There are some who would like to see the Giants place the rookie quarterback in bubble wrap and not let him take another hit until Week 1 of next season. That, of course is not going to happen. Dart is going to play, and that should be good for both him and the Giants.
Dart has started just eight games and played only 513 snaps in his NFL career. There is still plenty that he has not seen or done, and plenty of development for him to do. Every snap Eli Manning took for the Giants in 2004 was helpful for both him and the future of the team. The same goes for Dart. Especially if the Giants are able to play well offensively and win a couple of games down the stretch.
Coming out of Ole Miss, the 22-year-old has done a better job than many thought he would in going through progressions and figuring out where to throw the ball. That doesn’t mean experience won’t make him even better. He has taken care of the ball, with a 1.3% interception rate, and just three fumbles. Dart is 33rd out of 43 qualifying quarterbacks in completion percentage on passes longer than 20 yards (32.4%). That is an area of concern.
Of course, part of Dart’s development is also going to be learning when to risk taking a hit and when to protect himself. Not playing would, of course, prevent him from taking hits. It would not, though, help his decision-making in learning when the risk is worth it and when it isn’t.
On the topic of Dart taking hits, I do think the hysteria over Dart’s willingness to play aggressively needs to stop. The quarterback is right when he says that he is going to get hit. Did you watch Justin Herbert take a beating while playing with a broken hand on Monday night? NFL players, quarterbacks included, are going to get hit. They are going to get hurt. Sometimes because of a hit, sometimes not. Daniel Jones just lost his season to a non-contact torn Achilles tendon.
Dart’s aggression, his ability and willingness to use his legs, what people refer to as his moxie, is a big part of what made the Giants want to draft him in the first place. Nobody should want him to lose those things, or to become hesitant is his decision-making — something that might actually put him at greater risk.
He is 22 and has played half a season. Of course no one wants to see him have his career ruined after a year the...
