Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showed poise and toughness in his first NFL start, while the Giants’ defense closed the door late to secure a long-awaited victory.
Jaxson Dart didn’t just step into the spotlight Sunday—he embraced it. Helmet tilted, eye black slashed across his face, and nerves settled by months of preparation, the Giants’ rookie quarterback delivered a poised and gritty debut. On his first drive, he darted 15 yards into the end zone, and by the end of the afternoon, he had authored his first NFL win.
“It was just a football game,” Dart said, smiling afterward. “Obviously, this experience was a special one, it being my first one. I’m just grateful to have the guys around me that I had. A big shout out to Russ. I know this week probably wasn’t the easiest thing, but he handled it like a professional and was a mentor for me.”
The Giants, battered by three weeks of disappointment, needed someone to spark belief. Dart, backed by a relentless defense, did exactly that in a 21–18 win over the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers. It was New York’s first victory of 2025 and its first over the Chargers since 1998.
A First-Drive Statement
Dart’s first possession was an introduction. On third down inside the red zone, he found a crease and sprinted 15 yards for a touchdown—the longest rushing score by a Giants rookie quarterback since Phil Simms in 1979. It also marked the Giants’ first opening-drive touchdown at home since 2022.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Dart said of the play. “I wanted the ball in my hand… there’s mistakes I want back in the passing game, but I knew in that situation with the guys out there we were going to make a play.”
Head coach Brian Daboll didn’t hesitate to trust his rookie. “That’s his job as a quarterback, make good decisions,” Daboll said. “It wasn’t perfect, didn’t expect it to be in his first game. But a tough opponent, 3-0 team with a pretty good defense. I thought he made good decisions, and made a huge play when he needed to, to Theo [Johnson]. I’m glad we got him.”
Improvisation and Chemistry
The connection with rookie tight end Theo Johnson was the defining moment. On third down, Johnson didn’t run the route as designed; instead, he sat down in the middle of the field, just as he and Dart had discussed in film prep.
“It was something we discussed, kind of a change-up, an adjustment,” Dart said. “He was supposed to keep running all the way through. I told him, if you see that middle open, just sit down for me. We gave each other a little look, and it was a cool moment to see that happen in a big situation.”
Daboll praised the initiative. “We’ve worked that play one way for 10 years,” he said. “That’s a credit to two young players… having confidence in a critical time to do what they talked about when they’re studying film.”
Dart capped his passing day with a 3-yard shovel to Johnson for a touchdown, then watched rookie running back Cam Skattebo bulldoze in the two-point conversion after a penalty moved the ball closer.
Playing Through Pain
Dart’s performance wasn’t without grit. He left briefly for a concussion check after a long scramble and played through a sore hamstring that had limited him in practice.
“I was pissed,” he said about being pulled. “You try to sprint 70 yards as hard as you can and then you’ve got to run back and get ready for the next play… I never want to come out of the game.”
Daboll admired the toughness. “He isn’t going to come out,” the coach said. “Part of what I love about him is what he did in college. He’s tough, he’s a competitor. There’ll be growing pains, but his job is to go out there and do what we need to do to win.”
Defense Closes the Door
If Dart lit the spark, the defense slammed it shut. The Giants’ pass rush collapsed Justin Herbert’s pocket throughout the afternoon, hitting him 20 times between Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and rookie Abdul Carter. Burns extended his sack streak to four straight games, tying a franchise record. Carter’s five quarterback hits matched Thibodeaux’s rookie mark from 2022.
“Competition is what’s breathing this excellence,” Thibodeaux said. “Burns has his goals, I have mine, Abdul’s trying to make a name for himself. All of us want to be great.”
The secondary joined in. Rookie corner Dru Phillips broke up four passes—the most by a Giant since James Bradberry in 2020—and intercepted Herbert in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Dexter Lawrence II provided the highlight with his first career interception, a 37-yard return that nearly ended in the end zone. “He just threw it right over my head,” Lawrence said. “I put my hands up—in Dallas I missed it, and this week I got it and tried to go score. Nobody was close to me. I tell everybody I’m the fastest.”
“That’s everything,” Lawrence added about finishing the game. “We ask to be on the field when it matters most and this week we just took advantage.”
Chargers Left Searching
For the Chargers, the loss was a mix of missed opportunities and self-inflicted mistakes. Los Angeles committed 14 penalties and saw rookie left tackle Joe Alt exit early with an injury, leaving Herbert exposed.
“They’re really good,” Herbert said of the Giants’ front. “We knew that going into it, and we just didn’t execute. You can’t expect to win football games and turn the ball over like I did and have penalties like that.”
Head coach Jim Harbaugh was blunt. “It stings,” he said. “Guys fought, guys battled… just not enough. Too many penalties, I blame myself for that.”
Rookie running back Omarion Hampton was the lone bright spot, rushing for 92 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown. “The offensive line did a good job, they were creating the holes and made my job easier,” Hampton said.
A Foundation to Build
For the Giants, it wasn’t a flawless performance. The offense went 2-for-5 in the red zone. The defense surrendered a couple of explosive plays. Nabers’ injury loomed large over the celebration. But after three weeks of “close but not close enough,” this was the breakthrough.
“This is just a big confidence builder,” Dart said. “It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t clean, and we had to fight. Just like the other weeks, but this time we finished.”
Daboll echoed that sentiment. “There aren’t many secret recipes to winning… play good situational football. I’m happy for the players and the coaches. The goal is just to continue to improve.”
For now, the Giants have a rookie quarterback with the poise to improvise, the toughness to play through pain, and the humility to credit his teammates. That’s a foundation worth building on.
Sidebar: Key Quotes
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Jaxson Dart: “I wanted the ball in my hand… there’s mistakes I want back, but I knew with the guys out there we were going to make a play.”
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Brian Daboll: “Six gutted it out—he’s a tough son of a, you know what. I’m glad he’s our young quarterback.”
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Dexter Lawrence II: “I tell everybody I’m the fastest.”
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Kayvon Thibodeaux: “Competition is what’s breathing this excellence.”
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Justin Herbert: “You can’t expect to win football games and turn the ball over like I did and have penalties like that.”
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Jim Harbaugh: “Too many penalties, I blame myself for that.”
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