Jaxson Dart receives concussion check, throws TD in Giants preseason debut

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jaxson Dart received yet another concussion check in Saturday’s 13-10 Giants preseason opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The second-year quarterback fortunately cleared the protocol, returned to the game and threw a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Malachi Fields.

But it is beyond concerning that Dart’s penchant for visiting the blue medical tent as a rookie bled right into his first game action since January. Even though Dart pushed back on being sent to the blue tent at all.

“As far as the blue tent,” Dart said, “I really respect the rules and the thought the NFL has about keeping players healthy and reviewing things. But at the same time, I’m still puzzled by it just feeling like every time I get hit, I find my way in there, which at times I still try to wrap my head around.

“But that’s all I’m gonna say about that situation,” he added. “I’m really happy how the drive ended.”

It was also surprising that new head coach John Harbaugh put Dart back in the game, despite being cleared by the team’s trainers and doctors, although Harbaugh said he didn’t think twice about putting Dart back in.

“No, he was fine,” Harbaugh said, adding that Dart had the wind knocked out of him.

Dart and the starters played two series on Saturday: one against the Vikings’ starting defense and part of the Giants’ second series against Minnesota’s backups. Left tackle Andrew Thomas (healthy) and wide receiver Malik Nabers (right knee) were the only exceptions who were held out.

The QB was 3-of-4 passing for 26 yards, one touchdown and two sacks, including two completions to tight end Isaiah Likely and the 15-yard TD pass to Fields.

His first drive ended in six plays with a sack by Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner. Dart didn’t release the ball as Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores brought the house and sent a linebacker underneath Dart’s first read.

On the second drive, the Giants ran the ball well against Minnesota backups. But on second-and-10 from the Minnesota 40-yard line, Dart took a crushing 8-yard sack from blitzing Vikings safety Jay Ward that shook New York’s quarterback up.

Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. missed his block on the right side, which is why Ward got to Dart so quickly. Harbaugh seemed to pin the play on Tracy’s miscue, saying his primary review of the play was: “We need to block better.”

But Dart also never looked to the right side of the field.

Clearly the play design called for Dart to go to his left, where he had Darius Slayton, Braxton Berrios and Likely running routes.

But if Dart had recognized the defense’s look, he might have seen wide receiver Calvin Austin 1-on-1 with a corner and no safety over top to his right, with Ward bearing down on the line of scrimmage prepared to blitz.

The quarterback was asked if he had responsibilities on the back side of the play. He said: “I think that we had just a little maybe miscommunication in the protection scheme. Stuff like that happens in the preseason when we’re not all on the same page in the protection. That’s a moment we can look back on and learn from.”

Harbaugh said Dart’s awareness typically is solid, so the Giants need to have a play like that picked up for him.

Dart was evaluated for a concussion five times as a rookie last season and diagnosed with a confirm concussion once. He took 146 hits in 12 starts and received criticism both internally and externally for taking too many risks with his body as a runner.

So it’s never exciting to see him headed back for a check, even though his teammates were confident he was alright.

“You want your quarterback to be as healthy as possible,” tight end Chris Manhertz said. “Thankfully he’s OK. As far as a sigh of deep breath, obviously there’s a level of concern, but Jaxson is tough. He’s taken a lot. I wasn’t too concerned based on that.”

Three pieces of good news emerged for the Giants from Saturday’s situation:

Dart was cleared, most importantly.

The Giants now have a professional head coach, so Harbaugh didn’t chase Dart into the blue medical tent like Brian Daboll did last season.

And Dart threw his touchdown pass to Fields on the left side of the end zone out of structure, after scrambling out of the pocket. The Giants were in the red zone due to a 40-yard screen pass by Jameis Winston to Devin Singletary when Dart was in the tent.

Dart taking such a huge hit so early, however, does not instill confidence that the young QB and this offense are ready to take the next step.

It reinforces that they still have plenty of ground to cover to get Dart ready to face the Dallas Cowboys in prime time on Sept. 13.

Uphill battle for OBJ

Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t get into Saturday’s game until about 5 1/2 minutes remained in the first half. The crowd cheered OBJ’s first snap as a Giant since 2018. Then the fans erupted when he made his first catch, a 6-yard slant completion from Jameis Winston.

“It felt great running that slant in the game and feeling the love for the fans,” Beckham said. “Being able to be back on the field truly was a blessing.”

But Winston did not see Beckham wide open downfield later that drive, as the Giants sought a quick completion underneath to set up a Ben Sauls 46-yard field goal before half. Then soon Beckham was playing with third-string QB Brandon Allen, who threw an interception on his first attempt intended for OBJ.

It was sobering to see Beckham so far down on the depth chart.

Although Harbaugh has rotated receivers often in practices, Saturday’s playing time demonstrated Beckham is clearly behind the likes of Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Fields and Calvin Austin — and fighting tooth and nail for a spot with top punt returner Berrios, who was whistled for a false start and made a catch for nine yards.

“I’m walking a fine line between being grateful just to be there and still hungry and having desires to do things, so that’s the battle,” Beckham said. “Right now, it’s just about making the most of the opportunities you do have and finding a way to capitalize in any way I can.”

Rookies make plays

Fields, a third-round draft pick, caught three passes for 34 yards and the touchdown. First-round right guard Sisi Mauigoa blocked well in the run game. First-round linebacker Arvell Reese made a strong run stop on the Giants’ first drive, shedding a block to dump the ballcarrier.

The Giants defense is going to critique itself closely on the game’s start, though, even with several veteran D-linemen resting and sitting out. The Vikings carried the ball six times for 44 yards on the opening drive, including an 18-yard carry by Aaron Jones and a 15-yard run by Jordan Mason.

In the second half, interior defensive lineman Leki Fotu, who started the game on defense, nearly intercepted a Carson Wentz pass with some good anticipation and a pass breakup underneath.

Details, details

Harbaugh said he wasn’t pleased with the Giants committing penalties at critical times. Corner Korie Black committed pass interference in the end zone to set up Minnesota’s go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, and Harbaugh singled out Isaiah Hodgins’ third-and-5 offensive pass interference on a rub route completion to Dalen Cambre that killed a Giants fourth quarter third-down conversion with the game on the line. Harbaugh said that is why the Giants practice hard, to put stress on players to execute in critical moments. And they have to keep working at it. … They had threw the challenge flag for the first time as Giants head coach on the Vikings’ second completion, a third down pass from Kyler Murray to Jordan Addison against rookie corner Colton Hood. The play was ruled a catch and a first down. It may have hit the ground underneath the sliding Addison, but it was impossible to tell for sure even on replay. So the play stood and the Giants lost the challenge and a timeout.

Harbaugh sits several veterans

Harbaugh didn’t play his full team. Plenty of healthy veterans sat out: Thomas, edge rusher Brian Burns, safety Jevon Holland, inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and defensive tackles DJ Reader and Shelby Harris.

Several injured players also did not dress: wide receivers Nabers, JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) and Jalin Hyatt (knee/leg); centers John Michael Schmitz (concussion) and Lucas Patrick (knee); and corners Paulson Adebo (undisclosed), Greg Newsome (left knee) and Dru Phillips (right knee sprain).

Harbaugh’s three game captains were Dart, edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and punter Jordan Stout.