Jaxson Dart has taken a step back since returning. Why?

Another Giants loss on Sunday came with a slew of reasons for it. Most are common by now during this nine-game losing streak: defensive lapses, drops, not enough playmaking.

But there’s a worrying trend affecting the player the Giants have leaned on for hope in this dark season. Jaxson Dart’s production and the offense overall have taken a downturn since he returned from missing two games in concussion protocol.

The Vikings game was rock bottom. Dart was handcuffed by a conservative, run-heavy game plan. His 33 passing yards on 7-of-13 passing was his worst outing as a pro and he was sacked five times, with two more negated by penalties.

Maybe it’s part of a rookie wall. Natural bumps that a first-year quarterback has to go through learning the NFL. Yet considering Dart had his best game against the Bears before his injury, his struggles stand out with the offense not looking this bad since Russell Wilson was benched after Week 3. 

“I really think a lot of it is self-inflicted stuff,” interim coach Mike Kafka said on a Zoom call Monday. “Again, we’re all in this thing together, whether it’s coaches, the players. I feel like it’s some of us, just as a group, not executing at the level that we’re expecting to execute at and the standard that we have in the offensive room is sky high.”

The numbers say Dart hasn’t been the same quarterback since his return after previous coach Brian Daboll was fired. His completion percentage dipped from 62.7% before he got hurt to 60.3% over the last three games. His yards per attempt went from 6.9 pre-injury to 5.7 since.

Contrast that with fellow rookie Abdul Carter’s last three games. The linebacker has a sack in each game and has been more disruptive in two games since he was benched a second time. While Carter is taking strides, Dart appears to be regressing even if Kafka refuted it.

“Maybe the numbers are what they had been in the past, but I think he’s playing well,” Kafka said. “He’s playing at a high level. There’s really things that he can continue to improve on and we’ve talked through those and as a group too.”

Dart also was on the wrong end of facing a genius in Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The Vikings haven’t allowed an offensive touchdown in their last two meetings with the Giants and Flores also did the same as Dolphins head coach facing the Giants in 2021.

The Giants’ 141 yards Sunday was a season-low. Their 239 yards against the Patriots in Dart’s return in Week 13 was their third lowest output this season.

So are defenses playing Dart differently?

"I wouldn't say too much,” Dart said. “Each defense is different you play each week. So, you just do your best to prepare and whatever play is called, you just have to go out there and execute it.”

Another issue is playmakers not stepping up. Darius Slayton dropped a fourth-quarter pass near midfield on the Giants’ last drive. Wan’Dale Robinson had a dropped pass in the second quarter. Theo Johnson let a pass slip through his hands for an interception.

Slayton dropped a touchdown pass last week. Now counter that with what the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson did on Sunday. The All-Pro receiver had four third-down catches that went for at least 13 yards. His biggest catch was the 21-yard one he made to keep the go-ahead drive alive in the fourth quarter.

With Malik Nabers injured, the Giants currently don’t have a player like that. These last three games reminded why they should add a receiver in next spring’s draft to complement Nabers. 

It’s just one more leaky hole in a season that’s been drowning for two months. The offense was a bright spot in spite of things but now it and Dart are no longer immune from getting worse.

Just like everything else has for the Giants this season.

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.