It’s part of his game, but Jaxson Dart’s willingness to expose himself to more hits as a runner in the pursuit of extra yards might already be wearing thin with the New York Giants, based on comments from a veteran member of the rookie quarterback’s offensive line.
Starting left guard Jon Runyan Jr. addressed ongoing concerns after the punishment Dart took during Week 13’s 33-15 loss to the New England Patriots.
Runyan revealed he’d even told Dart “earlier [Monday], be smart, protect ourselves. Obviously, he’s not going to listen because he’s just so competitive, loves the contact. That’s just how he is. We’re just going to have to keep talking to him. Maybe he’ll listen to us one of these days,” per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Dart doesn’t appear to be ready to heed Runyan’s advice just yet. At least based on the QB’s defiant post-game comments.
Those words sounded almost as reckless as Dart’s decision-making on the field. Particularly after he left himself vulnerable to several big hits in New England.
Jaxson Dart’s Playing Style Becoming a Problem
The bravado within Dart to play the game with reckless abandon is fast becoming a major problem for the Giants. It was vividly illustrated when he continued to scramble along the sideline, instead of stepping out of bounds, and took a vicious hit from Pats linebacker Christian Elliss.
An ensuing brawl revealed just one of the problems stemming from Dart’s refusal to step out of harm’s way earlier. A 15-yard penalty on tight end Theo Johnson, who was trying to stand up for his quarterback, cost the Giants, as did the loss of focus caused by this brawl.
Focused aggression is an asset to any team, but frequent outbursts every time Dart fails to protect himself will only get more damaging. Comments from Runyan’s fellow guard Greg Van Roten suggest the Giants should expect more of the same.
As Van Roten put it, We’re not here to just get rolled over. It’s your quarterback. Especially if you think it’s late, cheap or dirty, you let them know that’s not acceptable. If they do [Expletive] like that, we will respond accordingly,” per Raanan.
The issue isn’t Giants teammates defending him, so much as Dart’s ongoing resistance to playing smarter at football’s most important position.
Giants Need Smarter Play from Quarterback Position
A hint of frustration in Runyan’s words is hardly surprising when Dart seems reluctant to learn his lesson. Not changing his game “was an issue for Dart at Ole Miss as well. You appreciate the ingrained toughness, but welcoming hits has always been his play style. He needs to make changes if he wants to see a second contract,” according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
Adaptability isn’t an optional extra for a young player who’s already been in concussion protocol multiple times since entering the pros. Dart needs to embrace a more nuanced and safer way of playing.
Eliminating his aggressive streak completely would be a mistake, but Dart can’t ignore the ruthless nature of life in the NFL. Elliss and the Patriots showed him defenses won’t hesitate to inflict the maximum amount of punishment possible to render any QB1 a non-factor.
Doggedly staying on the same brazen path not only risks Dart’s health in the long-term. In the short-term, he could even alienate Giants teammates who want him to underpin a brighter future for the franchise.
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