New York Giants rookie quarterback sensation Jaxson Dart is a non-practice participant in Wednesday’s practice, which suggests he will have a chance to play in Sunday’s Week 12 matchup against the Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET).
The 22-year-old is still in concussion protocol, per interim head coach Mike Kafka, after suffering the injury late in the third quarter of Big Blue’s Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. Without Dart, Jameis Winston started the Giants’ narrow Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers, in which he passed for 201 yards with a rushing touchdown.
Dart was given the starting job by former head coach Brian Daboll after veteran passer Russell Wilson went 0-3 to start the season. After winning two of his first three starts, the Giants lost four in a row, ultimately leading to the dismissal of Daboll after three-plus seasons.
In seven starts, Dart has completed 62.9% of his passes for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He has added 317 yards and seven scores on the ground, as he continues to prove himself as a legitimate dual-threat quarterback in the NFL.
Dart’s prowess with his legs has been the subject of recent controversy, however, particularly after he suffered that concussion in Chicago. Anonymous members within the Giants organization put the blame solely on his aggressive approach and his inability to recognize when he needs to play it safe to avoid injury. Granted, Daboll and Kafka — the former offensive coordinator who was elevated to interim head coach last week — were guilty of calling designed run plays for Dart late in games that were already decided.
On a five-game losing streak, the Giants face a 6-4 Lions squad that has allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards in the NFL this season. Detroit is also just one of eight teams that have allowed fewer than 1,000 rushing yards through Week 11. That would present a significant challenge to the Giants’ offense, which ran the ball 38 times without Dart against Green Bay, and would likely employ a similar approach if their star rookie was unable to play in Detroit.
Should the Ole Miss product be good to go, though, it will offer a first glimpse at how he will be handled by Kafka in what will be his second game in charge. Even with a run-heavy offense against the Packers last weekend, the play-calling for Winston was plenty aggressive when his number was called.
