The New York Giants‘ worst fears were officially confirmed on Wednesday, as quarterback Jaxson Dart will be undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a knee injury he sustained in the team’s Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Considering how solid a performance the Giants put together in Week 1 with Dart under center, losing him is a huge blow.
Jameis Winston will take over at quarterback with Dart out, but all eyes are going to turn to new head coach John Harbaugh to see if he can find a way to piece things together with his star quarterback. However, when discussing Dart’s injury situation, Harbaugh issued a surprising update that quickly caught fans’ attention.
John Harbaugh Leaves Door Open for Jaxson Dart to Return During Playoffs
All the hype surrounding the Giants’ offense appeared to be realized in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, as Dart torched them for 230 yards and three touchdowns in the air. Initially, it seemed like the expectation was that he was only going to miss a couple of weeks with his aforementioned injury, but further testing revealed that surgery would be required.
Dart mulled his options as he attempted to find a way to avoid going under the knife, but there was simply no other way for him to make a proper recovery. Playing without Dart for the rest of the year is a big blow, especially since New York is only two games into the season. Having to piece things together for its final 15 contests is going to be easier said than done.
Harbaugh is going to have his work cut out for him, especially with Winston struggling after coming on in relief of Dart (11/27, 111 YDS, 1 INT). When speaking to reporters, Harbaugh confirmed that Dart is out for the rest of the regular season, but in a surprise twist, he seemed to leave the door open for him to potentially return if the team were to qualify for the playoffs.
Jaxson Dart is out for the ‘regular season,’ per John Harbaugh. Seems to be holding out hope he can return, dependent on the timeline, for the postseason,” Jordan Raanan of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Could the Giants Actually Make it to the Playoffs Without Jaxson Dart?
After putting up just six points against the Rams, the playoffs are probably the last thing anyone in New York is thinking about right now. Yes, Los Angeles is a very talented team, but the Giants need to first find a way to build a competent offense that can survive with Winston, not Dart, leading the way.
Making the playoffs was going to be tough even when Dart was healthy, so now that he’s out, the team’s hopes are probably quite slim. Crazier things have happened in the NFL in the past, but right now, New York has bigger fish to fry. That starts with winning its upcoming Week 3 contest, which will see the team square off against the Tennessee Titans.
Giants’ HC John Harbaugh Issues Unexpected Jaxson Dart Injury Update