How Giants QB Jaxson Dart Can Walk the Fine Line Between Being Aggressive and Smart

No, there are no plans for the New York Giants to bubble wrap their young and aggressively fearless quarterback Jaxson Dart for the remaining four games of the season.

“Game reps are invaluable,” said Giants offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

“Being able to go and see different defenses, different schemes, going out and getting into different situations … and continuing to see good decision-making, protecting the football, and doing everything you can to lead us down and to score points and win games.”

That’s understandable, but corralling Dart’s aggressiveness when it comes to taking hits when he breaks the pocket has been the biggest challenge facing the Giants' coaching staff, which has, to an extent, tried to downplay it.

“He's done a really good job protecting the football, hasn't really exposed the football, and has made good decisions as far as when to extend plays, being able to go and scramble for a first down, or does he have to scramble and keep his eyes down the field and showing all those different play-making abilities that make him so unique,” Kelly said.

“The biggest thing for me, especially with a young quarterback, is really his ability to still be aggressive without being reckless, and I think he's done a really good job of toeing that line.”

Critics will disagree, given that Dart has been in the medical tent multiple times this year and missed two games due to a concussion.

As the Giants coaching staff continues to work with him on being smart, even Kelly admitted that hasn’t always been the case, such as when Dart tiptoed along the sideline on a scramble in which he was seeking to record the first down, only to get whacked by Patriots defender Christian Elliss.

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) carries the ball during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

“Yeah, I talked to him about it. He's got to get out of bounds,” Kelly said. “He's got to get everything he can and make sure he's clearly out of bounds so he's not exposing himself. That was a clean hit.”

Dart has seemingly had trouble in determining when to get out of bounds and when to give himself up. One way that the coaches could help him is by stressing better situational awareness.

In other words, if Dart is aiming for the first down on a play that takes place early in the first quarter, maybe exercise a bit more willingness to give yourself up even if you fall a yard or two short rather than to risk getting whacked and potentially knocked out of the game or longer.

“We talked about the awareness a little bit ago of having that ability to go and get everything you can and then make sure that you're protecting yourself and protecting your team and getting out of bounds,” Kelly said.

Does Dart understand that?

“He does. And again, that's part of his game that makes him unique and makes him the type of player that he is,” Kelly said.

“We still want him to protect himself, obviously, but we never want him to lose his aggressive nature. And again, it's a fine line. So, with the conversations I've had with him, I do think that that message is becoming clearer for him.”

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