The New York Giants continued their strong preseason run on Saturday night, defeating the rival New York Jets 31–12 at MetLife Stadium. Behind Russell Wilson’s early fireworks and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart’s poised performance, the Giants showcased a roster blending veteran leadership, rookie flashes, and encouraging depth.
The win moves New York to 2–0 in the preseason, with one more exhibition to go before final roster cuts and the Sept. 7 regular-season opener at Washington.
Wilson Opens with a Statement
It didn’t take long for the Giants’ offense to deliver a highlight. On just his third play of the night, Russell Wilson unleashed one of his trademark moon balls, a 54-yard strike that landed perfectly in the hands of undrafted rookie receiver Beaux Collins. Collins turned it into an 80-yard gain, stopped just short of the end zone. Two plays later, Devin Singletary finished the drive to give New York a 7–0 lead.
“That was pretty cool,” Wilson said. “Beaux has great speed, the line did a great job, and it was a massive play.”
Wilson finished his night 4-of-7 for 108 yards with one interception on a miscommunication with Collins. Even so, the early connection and the explosiveness offered a glimpse of how Wilson and his new supporting cast can stretch defenses.
Dart’s Coming-Out Party
If Wilson set the tone, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart stole the show.
Inserted in the second quarter, Dart was sharp, confident, and nearly perfect. He finished 14-of-16 for 137 yards with two total touchdowns, at one point completing 13 straight passes.
“I think I had a little bit more [completions in a row] in a game at Ole Miss,” Dart said with a smile. “But guys were making great plays for me. I was just trying to distribute the ball to the playmakers.”
His first touchdown came on a 20-yard strike to tight end Greg Dulcich, a throw that Dart said was particularly satisfying. “That was a look we kind of missed on last week. Me and Greg had those conversations, got on the same page, and it was sweet when it happened. Exactly how we prepared for it.”
Later, Dart capped another drive with a quarterback sneak, set up by an 11-yard gain from former Ole Miss teammate Juice Wells Jr.
But even in the glow of his stat line, Dart admitted one play stuck in his mind. “Honestly, the third-down where the guy clipped my ankles is going to haunt me. I should have scored. If I had gotten my feet up, I would have scored.”
Learning Through Situations
Head Coach Brian Daboll gave Dart a unique test: inserting him for a single surprise play with the starters. Dart’s reaction?
“I was like, ‘Serious?’ Coach said, ‘Yeah.’ I didn’t know I was going in for one play and then coming right back out,” Dart said. “He’s making up scenarios where you never know when your number’s going to be called. He’s done it in practices, too, so I’ve learned to keep warming up on the sideline because you just never know.”
That unpredictability is part of what Daboll calls the “plan” for Dart’s development. The rookie trusts the process. “They’ve done it with so many other quarterbacks. I trust them. I’m just focused on each day, how can I get better? The amount of knowledge in that quarterback room was very humbling when I first got here. I’m just trying to catch up and chase that every day.”
Comfort in the Hurry-Up
One of Dart’s sharpest stretches came on a tempo drive after halftime. It reminded him of his Ole Miss days under Lane Kiffin.
“I love it,” Dart said when asked if he suggested the tempo. “I think it’s a huge advantage because defenses can’t do as much. They’ve got to line up and get in their call. At the same time, you can get them tired. When I’m able to sit back there and see the field, that’s a quarterback’s dream. Shoutout to the O-line for that.”
That ability to operate in different speeds, combined with input from the coaching staff, has made his transition smoother than many expected. “It’s really unique here,” Dart said. “Not everywhere do rookies get to give input to coaches. They ask me what I like, what I feel confident running. That trust is big.”
Depth on Display
The quarterback room as a whole impressed again. Jameis Winston led a scoring drive of his own, highlighted by a 34-yard completion to Dalen Cambre and capped by a rushing touchdown. Tommy DeVito delivered a 41-yard strike to Jordan Bly before being intercepted in the end zone.
Across the board, seven different Giants had plays of 20+ yards. Dante Miller, the star of Buffalo last week, again made noise with four catches for 43 yards in addition to 17 rushing yards. Tyrone Tracy Jr. led the ground attack with 39 yards on seven carries (5.6 yards per attempt).
Defensive Effort
The Giants’ defense played its role, holding Jets quarterbacks to just 5.2 yards per attempt. Safety Dane Belton led the team with seven tackles, while Roy Robertson-Harris chipped in four stops. Rookie Abdul Carter flashed with pressure off the edge and a stuff alongside Brian Burns.
The highlight came in the third quarter when Trace Ford’s pressure forced Adrian Martinez into an errant throw that safety Makari Paige intercepted.
Feeling the Energy
Saturday was also Dart’s first chance to soak in MetLife with the crowd in full force.
“It was sick,” Dart said. “Going out there in warmups and seeing the stadium before it filled up, then feeling the energy come in. I was happy to see so many Giants fans. Hopefully we can just continue to bring a lot of energy and a lot of wins.”
That energy will be needed when the regular season begins. But for now, the Giants are savoring back-to-back 30+ point outings in the preseason.
What’s Next
The Giants wrap up their preseason Thursday against the New England Patriots before roster cuts are due on Aug. 26. Seventeen days later, they’ll open the season in Washington.
For Dart, the goals are simple. “I think I’m just trying to improve myself each and every day,” he said. “I’m in a really unique situation, learning from guys in my room who’ve done it at the highest level. Whenever my number’s called, I’ll try to do my best. Until then, I just want to be the best teammate I can be and push this team in the right direction to win.”
With Wilson settling in, Dart developing, and the defense playing fast, the Giants leave MetLife with something more than just another preseason win — they leave with belief.
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