Giants Country

Giants QB Jaxson Dart Rises in New QB Power Rankings

New York Giants' quarterback Jaxson Dart's strong performance in Week 6 has garnered him well-deserved recognition in a new quarterback power rankings.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is trending upward in CBS Sports' Week 7 power rankings.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is trending upward in CBS Sports' Week 7 power rankings. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jaxson Dart has rejuvenated the New York Giants’ offense since taking over as the starting quarterback in Week 4 against the Chargers.

Dart sits at 2-1 in his three starts, overcoming a three-turnover performance in a loss to the Saints in Week 5 to lead the Giants to an upset win over the Eagles in Week 6.

The bounce-back performance in Week 6 has garnered Dart well-deserved recognition from CBS Sports in their Week 7 quarterback power rankings. Dart checked in at 21 in the rankings, moving up three spots from his Week 6 ranking.

According to Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports, “Don't look now, but the New York Giants might be fun again. Dart has to take a little better care of his body when plowing through contact on the move. But his zesty composure, paired with Cam Skattebo's energy, at least offers hope.”

The offense has excelled with Dart’s mobility, adding a quarterback-run game to the playbook and an enhanced pocket mobility on the field.

Although there have been some bumps in the road, especially in Week 5, Dart has shown resiliency, which is important for a rookie quarterback.

Dart faces a tough test in Week 7

Dart has shown poise and confidence in his three starts so far; however, the Broncos' defense will provide his biggest challenge yet.

Denver is currently second in the NFL in yards allowed (254.2) and leads the league with 30 sacks. Also, the Broncos' defense has yet to yield 30 or more points in a game this season, and has forced multiple turnovers in two games.

Outside linebacker Nik Bonnitto has led the way for Denver in the pass rush department, generating 8.0 sacks so far this season. He and Jonathan Cooper, who has 4.5 sacks, have combined to be a pass-rushing force for the Denver defense.

The Broncos' ability to generate pressure and force turnovers is a key aspect that could frustrate Dart in his fourth NFL start.

What could benefit the Giants is their improved offensive line play over the past few games. Left tackle Andrew Thomas has returned to form, and if the line continues to elevate around him, that could help keep Dart upright.

In the Broncos' lone loss this season to the Colts, they were gashed for 167 yards on 32 rushes, while former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 23-of-34 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown.

Jones was poised the entire game, and outside of being sacked just once, a big part of his success was his ability to use the run game when needed.

Although the Giants can’t solely rely on Skattebo to lead them to a victory in Week 7, his ability to churn out consistent yardage will be paramount to the offense’s success as a whole.

If the Giants can protect Dart while also generating consistent yards on the ground, they will have the best path to success against Denver.

However, if Denver’s pass rush causes problems, Dart will need to avoid turnovers and give the offense the best chance possible to overcome sacks.

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Robbie Lastella
ROBBIE LASTELLA

Robbie Lastella is a freelance writer currently covering College football in the South Florida area, as well as NFL News for New Era Prep. Prior to freelancing, Robbie was as a full time beat reporter for FAU Owls Nest, covering Florida Atlantic Athletics with a main beat of football, basketball and softball. He has also covered three consecutive NCAA Men’s basketball tournaments, most recently for Bracketeer.Org, producing a variety of pieces on teams throughout the tournament. A proud supporter of animal rescue, when not watching sports you can find Robbie taking care of his dog Spice.