Jaxson Dart should be nervous about JJ McCarthy

It wasn’t all great for McCarthy, however, as the Texans’ defense did step up in the second half of the game. McCarthy went 9 for 12 for 178 yards in the first half, and 11 of 16 for just 74 yards in the second.

He also took three sacks in the second half. However, the Giants’ run offense played complementary football, helping power them to an overtime 27-21 win.

Jaxson Dart should be nervous

After the opening week win against the Dallas Cowboys, it looked like Jaxson Dart was getting ready to have his breakout season. Dart went 23-29 (79.3%) for 230 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs. He also added 11 carries for 54 yards.

It was the type of start that would get any fan base excited.

However, Dart’s biggest flaw since being drafted in the first round of the 2025 draft has been his lack of availability. He’s a tough player and doesn’t mind taking a hit if it means he can get a few extra yards for his trouble. But that mentality has landed him in the dreaded blue medical tent more times than either he or the team would like.

Dart entered the tent 5 times during his rookie season, while being sacked 35 times. He went into the tent again in the preseason after taking a hit.

The hit he took against the Rams in Week 2 didn’t need a tent evaluation. While he was able to walk off the field under his own power, it was revealed after the game that he had suffered a season-ending MCL and meniscus tear.

That forced the Giants to look outside for QB help, but while there were veteran options available, they decided to trade draft capital (a fifth-rounder) for McCarthy, a young player who is 23, just like Dart.

While losing a starting job while you’re injured isn’t fair, it happens all of the time in the NFL.

Besides availability, Jaxson Dart’s other big issue is his pocket awareness. Dart’s escapability and his ability to extend plays are what make him special, but the flip side of that coin is that he often leaves the pocket too early and doesn’t let the play develop before he takes off.

On Sunday, McCarthy showed the exact opposite proclivity. He hung in the pocket and kept his eyes downfield. McCarthy, who was drafted a year before Dart, has figured out a part of the game that his Giants teammate is still learning.

But perhaps most concerning, if you are Jaxson Dart, is the fact that new coach John Harbaugh didn’t draft him. Dart was drafted by the previous regime, so Harbaugh was stuck with him whether he wanted him or not.

That’s not to say Harbaugh doesn’t want him, but it does mean he didn’t have a choice. Harbaugh did have a choice in giving up a fifth-rounder to trade for McCarthy, though.

But let’s not overreact yet. McCarthy looked good against a defense that has struggled this season in spite of its reputation. Also, his first half performance was much better than the second half.

Still, if you are Jaxson Dart, you have to be a little nervous, if only for the fact that you aren’t in a position to have a rebuttal since you’re injured. The job is officially McCarthy’s to lose at this point, and Dart can’t do anything about it.