
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart took a bone-crushing hit close to the sideline within the first quarter of Monday evening's 33-15 loss to the New England Patriots. Regardless that he in all probability might have stepped out of bounds earlier and gained just a few much less yards, he mentioned he wouldn't change a factor.
It doesn't matter that Dart missed the earlier two video games with a concussion and was checked for a concussion in 4 of the earlier eight video games.
"No, look, I perceive the query, however that is soccer," Dart mentioned. "I'm going to get hit if I'm within the pocket or exterior the pocket. I really feel like I performed this manner my complete whole life. It shouldn't be any shocker to anyone should you adopted together with my profession.
"We're not enjoying soccer out right here. You're going to get hit. Issues occur. It's simply a part of the sport."
Dart mentioned he was scrambling out of the pocket on the second-and-13 play early within the contest. He was making an attempt to get the primary down earlier than Christian Elliss despatched him flying by means of the air. Dart landed on the Giants sideline.
The hit was deemed authorized. Dart was nonetheless inbounds on the time of the hit. "Man made a very good hit," he mentioned.
Interim coach Mike Kafka didn't have any downside with the play from his quarterback. Even when it led to an enormous hit.
"Clearly, don't need him to take any hits which can be pointless, however he was working his means out of bounds," Kafka mentioned.
Tight finish Theo Johnson instantly got here in to defend his quarterback. He picked up a 15-yard penalty for pointless roughness on the play.
Dart's offensive line additionally got here to guard him.
"We're not right here to only get rolled over," proper guard Greg Van Roten mentioned. "It's your quarterback. Particularly should you assume it's late, low-cost or soiled, you allow them to know that's not acceptable. In the event that they do shit like that, we are going to reply accordingly."
Dart mentioned he didn't play any in a different way getting back from the concussion. He mentioned enjoying safer wasn't working by means of his thoughts. The rookie quarterback was simply enjoying his recreation.
The primary-round decide went 17-of-24 passing for 139 yards with one landing and no interceptions. He rushed 4 occasions for 20 yards and wasn't thrilled with the efficiency.
"Not ok as a result of we misplaced," he mentioned.
It was the Giants' seventh straight loss. It was their thirteenth straight street defeat relationship again to final season.
Dart nonetheless insists he was his regular aggressive self on Monday evening. The Giants (2-11) even saved him within the recreation down three scores with simply over two minutes remaining.
"Like I mentioned, I performed like this my complete life," Dart mentioned. "Activate my highschool tape, activate my school tape, it's not a shocker to anyone. It's how I've performed. I felt like should you simply watch the sport, like, I did slide. I did keep away from a whole lot of hits, so that you're going to get hit. It's soccer."
The Giants did name the sport on Monday evening a bit in a different way. Within the contest that Dart was harm final month, they used him on six designed runs. They didn't name any designed runs on Monday evening.
Nonetheless, a few of his teammates would slightly him keep away from the kind of hit he took within the first quarter.
"I informed him earlier [Monday] 'be good, shield ourselves.' Clearly, he's not going to pay attention as a result of he's simply so aggressive, loves the contact," veteran offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. mentioned. "That's simply how he’s. We're simply going to need to maintain speaking to him. Perhaps he'll hearken to us considered one of today."
Thankfully for Dart and the Giants, the rookie quarterback mentioned he felt good popping out of Monday evening's contest. He bounced again from the large hit from Elliss and instantly jogged again to the huddle.
The play he suffered a concussion on in Chicago and this hit in New England aren't going to change his pondering.
"I obtained knocked out of the sport in opposition to Chicago on a fluke play. You watch the hit, I lose management of the ball and I don't brace myself as a result of I'm making an attempt to re-catch the ball," Dart mentioned. "It's not due to the hit. It's as a result of I misplaced the ball. So identical to every other league, you’re taking new steps, there's larger, quicker gamers. My physique feels good. I'm going to play aggressive. I really feel like if I simply flip into a whole pocket passer, that's simply not how I wish to play the sport. I really feel like there's a bonus to me utilizing my legs. So, yeah."