New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart was on the field for just a few minutes on Monday night before a vicious hit sent him to the sideline with a leg injury. Dart, who was listed as questionable to return with a knee injury, completed only 3-of-5 passes for 20 yards before being replaced by Jameis Winston. It was a brutal turn of events for a young QB who came into the game looking to push his team to a 2-0 start.
Before the Kickoff: A Stolen Moment of Joy
Just hours before the opening whistle, the vibe was totally different for Dart and the Giants. The team had already started the John Harbaugh era strong, pulling off an impressive 28-20 victory over division rival Dallas in Week 1. They were riding high into Los Angeles, aiming to hand the Rams another loss after LA dropped their season opener to the 49ers in Australia. Dart himself was all smiles. He and his girlfriend, Marissa Ayers, an influencer and former competitive gymnast, were trying to get a family photo before the game. That’s when running back Cam Skattebo, one of Dart’s favorite teammates, decided to slide right into the frame, posing alongside Dart’s mother, Kara. It was a genuinely fun, lighthearted moment that “stole the show” before the serious business of Monday Night Football even began.
From Antics to Injury: An Immediate Scare
That pre-game cheer quickly turned into a gut punch for the Giants and their faithful. The game had barely begun when Dart took that brutal hit. Trainers immediately swarmed the field to tend to him, and the entire stadium held its breath. While Dart was able to leave the field under his own power, the visual of him hobbling off was a serious concern for a team looking to build on their early season success. Losing your starting quarterback minutes into a critical game, especially after coming in with a 2-0 mindset, is a massive blow. Now, with Dart questionable and Jameis Winston stepping in, the entire outlook for this game, and perhaps even the coming weeks, just got flipped upside down.
This team needs to rally around Winston now. They were looking for that 2-0 start against a hungry Rams squad, and now they are fighting to simply keep things together. What an immediate test for the Giants and their John Harbaugh era.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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