The New York Giants spent a solid 24 hours from Tuesday morning — the day when they received a possibility of Jaxson Dart being potentially done for the season — in panic mode, before finally catching some relief on Wednesday.
The inital reports on Tuesday showed MRI scans concluding a concerning timeline, possibly season-ending, for Dart’s recovery. However, the medical evaluations continued and the reports on Wednesday had some slightly better news for the Giants.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the injury reports don’t look so daunting anymore as they concluded that Dart did not tear his ACL.
Jaxson Dart’s to Undergo Knee Surgery
The final medical reports concluded that Dart needs to undergo a surgery for his knee, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed.
Dart has been soliciting opinions on the injury. And the ACL is intact. But surgery is coming.
“Jaxson Dart suffered damage to his MCL, PCL and meniscus, per sources. The meniscus is the main issue,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter added on what the injury actually is.
His knee injury is still serious, and the season-ending timeline is still “on the table” but not set in stone. That said, a recovery from a knee surgery typically takes about 4-5 months, and by then the season would be as good as over.
That keeps the panic meter from hitting absolute zero in New York, but the rest of the NFL, especially their upcoming opponents, are drolling at the news.
Even with the benefit of the doubt, a clean multi-week layoff is the floor here. Realistically, we could be looking at a multi-month recovery.
Meaning their upcoming opponents, especially the Arizona Cardinals, can feast off the obvious gap in their offense.
It’s not exactly a gap, per se, since Jameis Winston is taking over here. But they are still out of threat named Dart.
What Jaxson Dart’s Injury Means for the Cardinals for Week 4
Having Dart out of the equation for the Giants’ Week 4 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals entirely changes things speaking in terms of their preparations.
The Cardinals struggled in Week 2 against Lamar Jackson’s Ravens, and they are hoping to find a Week 3 break against the San Francisco 49ers. The odds don’t believe they will.
USA Today’s Adam Kaufman sees the Cardinals dropping another one against the 49ers this weekend in a 34-17 game.
“San Francisco has scored touchdowns on nine of its first 12 possessions this season, while Arizona generated only 95 passing yards against Seattle. Granted, Jacoby Brissett should be better than that this time around, but it’s difficult to envision the Cardinals rediscovering the offense that helped upset the Chargers in Week 1. The 49ers are simply too good, even with a banged-up receiving corps,” Kaufman writes.
“Arizona doesn’t have enough answers.”
Brock Purdy and his Niners offense have been on a hot 2-0 streak, which is expected to continue in Week 3. But looking ahead to Week 4, a trip to face the Giants suddenly turns into a realistic spot to steal one.
With Dart sidelined, New York’s offense pivots away from what makes them dangerous. For an Arizona team trying to string together wins, catching the Giants with a backup under center makes a tough road game look a lot more manageable.
Latest Jaxson Dart Injury Timeline Change Shakes Up Cardinals’ Week 4 Giants Plan