The Jaxson Dart era will officially begin on Sunday as the New York Giants (0-3) face the Los Angeles Chargers (3-0) at MetLife Stadium.
Few are giving New York a chance to pull off a monumental upset. But head coach Brian Daboll has high expectations for both his team and his new starting quarterback.
“I expect him (Dart) to prepare, I expect him to go out here and get better each time he plays. It’s not always going to be perfect, but I do think that he has the right makeup and athleticism,” said Daboll. “Look, we’re going to do everything we can do to help him be the best player. I know he is as well. It’s not just on one person, it’s on the entire team, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
It will definitely take a team effort for Big Blue to beat a Chargers franchise for the first time since Week 4 of the 1998 season. In particular, five key players need to step up for the team to win its first game of the season.
Jaxson Dart
The spotlight will be on the 22-year-old rookie quarterback as he makes his first start against one of the league’s best defenses. Dart was impressive in the preseason, but the regular season is a different animal, and Los Angeles will try to confuse him with their schemes.
The former Ole Miss quarterback remained undaunted by the pressure of making his first start and becoming the new face of the franchise.
“I don’t really feel pressure. I feel like pressure is given to those who play at a high level, and the best players in the world are the ones that are kind of involved with that word, pressure. I don’t feel it in that standpoint. My focus is just trying to win one game at a time,” Dart told reporters Wednesday.
With a younger and more mobile quarterback at the helm, it will be interesting to see how New York’s offense evolves. They’ll probably run more RPOs and have him roll out of the pocket to utilize his legs. He’ll certainly experience some rookie growing pains, but how he responds will go a long way toward his progression as an NFL quarterback.
Cam Skattebo
Dart isn’t the only rookie making his NFL start for the Giants on Sunday. Cam Skattebo officially becomes the lead back with Tyrone Tracy Jr. out due to a dislocated shoulder.
Skattebo was the lone bright spot in the team’s 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, carrying the ball 10 times for 60 yards and a touchdown while catching six passes for 61 yards. Now with Tracy sidelined, he’ll be thrust into a bigger role against the eighth-ranked Chargers defense.
New York would like to give the rookie a heavy dose of carries rather than force Dart to carry the offense. But that will be difficult against a Los Angeles defense that has shut down opposing running backs. If you take away Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins’ 41-yard run last week, the Chargers have held backs to 126 yards on 35 carries.
If Skattebo can find success on the ground, it will help pave the way for an upset.
Malik Nabers
After the lowest output of his career — two receptions for just 13 yards — the superstar receiver will look to bounce back in a big way on Sunday. As Nabers goes, so does the offense, and the plan will be to get him heavily involved early and often. The Chargers know this and will have their corners, Donte Jackson and Cam Hart, get physical with him to try and shut him down.
Most of the passes Nabers caught in training camp were thrown by Russell Wilson, and it will be interesting to see how quickly he can build a rapport with Dart. If these two connect and can hit a couple of deep balls, they could ignite both the team and the MetLife crowd.
Brian Burns
Of all New York’s edge rushers, Brian Burns has been the most effective, leading the team with four sacks. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is playing at an All-Pro level, completing 66.7% of his passes with six touchdowns to just one interception.
But without All-Pro tackle Rashawn Slater, who was lost for the year in August due to a torn patellar tendon, Herbert has been sacked 10 times this season. Burns must continue being a disruptive force, beating tackles Joe Alt and Trey Pipkins III off the edge to make life miserable for the Chargers signal caller.
Andrew Thomas
Left tackle Andrew Thomas made his 2025 debut last week, playing 28 offensive snaps without allowing a sack or pressure while committing no penalties. He should see increased playing time this week, and the team will need another superb performance protecting Dart’s blind side.
The Los Angeles defense has recorded just seven sacks this season, but they will deploy edge rushers to try and rattle the young quarterback into making mistakes. If Thomas can keep Dart upright, the rookie will have the confidence to stay in the pocket and look for receivers downfield.
