Jaxson Dart And Cam Skattebo Are Driving the New York Giants’ Unexpected Offensive Renaissance

The New York GIants had bad offenses for a long time. (1:02)

Not only have the Giants failed with quarterback after quarterback in Manning’s wake, they’ve also seen their own castaways succeed elsewhere. Daniel Jones, who was a first-round bust in Gotham from 2019 through 2024, currently captains one of the NFL’s best offenses in Indianapolis. And Geno Smith, who was with the team in 2016 and 2017 to no great renown, later put his own career together in Seattle in ways nobody ever expected. 

In 2025, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll went back to the well with the selection of Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick in the draft. The Giants had signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as “safe” veteran options until Dart was able to handle the rigors of the NFL, and when quarterbacks as mercurial as Wilson and Winston are your “safe” options, that tells you a lot about how unbalanced things have been for the Giants at the game’s most important position. 

Jaxson Dart could be the quarterback the GIants have needed for years. (2:29)

Daboll named Dart the starter in Week 4 after Wilson struggled mightily against the Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs, and only looked credible against the Dallas’ Cowboys all-time horrible defense. Dart’s first start came against the Los Angeles Chargers, and a Jesse Minter-led defense that has put quite a few veteran quarterbacks in the proverbial blender. Dart responded with 13 completions in 20 attempts for 111 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for 54 yards, a touchdown, and five first downs on 10 carries.

Per Next Gen Stats, Dart became the first rookie quarterback to beat a team with a 3-0 or better record in his first career start (the Giants won, 21-18) since Phil Simms led the Giants past the 5-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1979.

Dart also became the first quarterback since Patrick Mahomes to lead his team to an 80-plus yard touchdown drive on the first possession of his first career start. Dart orchestrated a nine-play, 89-yard touchdown drive on New York's opening possession, which he capped with a rushing touchdown.

Dart had his struggles against the New Orleans Saints in a 26-14 Week 5 loss, but his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6 might have been his coronation. In a 34-17 upset blowout, Dart completed 17 of 25 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown..

When the Eagles blitzed him, Dart completed nine of 13 passes (69.2%) for 99 yards and a touchdown when the Eagles blitzed, compared to 8 of 12 (66.7%) for 96 yards facing four or fewer rushers. Dart also 58 rushing yards on 13 attempts, with 46 of those yards and a rushing touchdown coming on six scrambles.

Moreover, Dart was making big-time throws all over Vic Fangio’s defense. Down his two best receivers in Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton, Dart was left to make big plays to the likes of the delightfully-named Lil'Jordan Humphrey, which he had no problem doing.

It’s early yet, but the Giants may have succeeded with another Ole Miss quarterback as they did with Manning in 2004.

Dart is not the only rookie leading the Giants’ offense into new and different dimensions.

Cam Skattebo is also defining the GIants' new offense. (1:23)

Arizona State alum Cameron Skattebo, the running back who has captured the nation’s attention with hie headbanging style, has become quite the bargain in the fourth round. Through Week 6, Skattebo ranks third among rookie running backs in carries (82) behind only Ashton Jeanty and Quinshon Judkins, fourth in rushing yards among rookies (338) behind only Jeanty, Judkins, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt of the Washington Commanders, and no rookie back has more touchdown runs than Skattebo’s five. 

Against the Eagles, Skattebo really showed up. He gained 98 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns on 19 attempts and 3 touchdowns. 79 of those rushing yards came after contact, and 47 yards came against stacked boxes featuring 8 or more defenders. Skattebo recorded four explosive runs of 10+ yards, and he was a big part of a Giants offense that is suddenly taking the pain to opposing defenses, as opposed to feeling the pain with undermanned options. 

It’s great that Dart and Skattebo already have an obvious personal connection, and Skattebo’s folk-hero status is a good story, but there’s more here than meets the eye.

On Sunday, the two rookies will face a stern test in a Denver Broncos defense that is sacking and pressuring quarterbacks better than any other, and has given up just 3.9 yards per carry, and only six runs of 10 or more yards. If Dart and Skattebo are able to navigate this credibly, they will have taken a desperately-needed next step for an offense that has been falling backward for years.