Giants shoulder much of blame for Jaxson Dart's avoidable injury

CHICAGO - This was avoidable, but considering the Giants' defiant disregard for reining in Jaxson Dart's recklessness, also inevitable.

New York's rookie passer couldn't survive these hits forever. It was remarkable he had to this point. Forget sacks. All quarterbacks get sacked. But the designed runs? Lowering his shoulder into linebackers and safeties? The refusal to protect himself?

It was going to catch up. In Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Bears, it did.

The Giants ran Dart on a third-quarter power. C.J. Gardner-Johnson walloped him from the side. Dart fumbled and his head ricocheted off the grass. He tried to play the next series. Coaches sensed something was off. Trainers pulled him.

He didn't return.

Yeah, it's unfortunate," said head coach Brian Daboll after the game.

More like irresponsible.

Dart bears none of the blame here. He's aggressive by nature. This is how he played in college, high school, youth leagues. It's one of the traits the Giants fell in love with during the pre-draft process. He treats every play like his last. Every yard matters.

Competitiveness," is what the Giants call it. Daboll, on multiple occasions, said it would be ridiculous to coach it out of him." He wanted more of it.

Chicago Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) sacks New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) during the first half at Soldier Field. / David Banks-Imagn Images

That's why when Dart stayed up instead of sliding in the preseason opener against the Bills, dove headfirst into a defender against the Eagles, or lowered his shoulder in a blowout during the rematch, it was celebrated.

I think (Daboll) likes it, to be honest," Dart said in August.

Therein lies the problem. This was never about pacifying Dart. It was about getting him to understand the long-term ramifications of his play. He needed to marry his mindset with calculated smarts, the way the best running quarterbacks do. He helps no one as an inactive.

Lamar Jackson isn't tip-toeing around contact in Baltimore. He's as dangerous as any mobile quarterback in the NFL, all while giving himself up to preserve his body. Daboll, seemingly in an act of self-preservation with his seat scorching, wanted his quarterback to do everything to keep himself on the sideline.

Now it has backfired. The only surprise is that it didn't happen sooner. This was the fourth time since the preseason opener in Buffalo that trainers checked Dart for a concussion. He's second in the NFL in hits taken (76) since becoming the starter in Week 4. Dart will almost certainly miss next week's game against the Packers. He could be out longer.

What's most frustrating is how Dart got hurt. It's one thing if he's taken down on a sack. Another if it's a late hit while sliding. Those things happen. You can't prevent them. But this was preventable. The Giants called plays for their 220-pound quarterback like he was a 265-pound Brandon Jacobs. It was organizational malpractice.

I'm not sure exactly that's the play that it happened," Daboll said when asked if Dart's style is sustainable. I'm just concerned for the kid."

It's remarkable how good Dart already is. It was widely believed the rookie needed to sit, watch, learn and develop for a full year before the Giants could even consider putting him on the field. Instead, you can argue the Titans, in a redraft, would sprint the card up with his name on it at No. 1 overall.

Dart scored 17 touchdowns in his seven starts (10 passing, seven rushing). He was in the midst of his best game as a professional before going down. Chicago had no answers. Dart completed 19 of 29 passes (65.5 percent) for 242 yards. He added six rushes for 66 yards and two touchdowns. He's the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for a touchdown in five straight games.

Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo are on injured reserve. Darius Slayton was in and out of the lineup. Dart put an Island of Misfit Toys supporting cast on his back and carried it to a 10-point third-quarter lead.

Then he went down.

The Bears outscored the Giants 17-3 the rest of the way. New York is 2-8 and has now lost four games this season in which it held a double-digit lead.

I don't know," said Brian Burns. I wish I had the answer."

The Giants' hopes of an improbable postseason push effectively died after the debacle in Denver. But there was still something to cling to each week: Dart. A quarterback provides hope. Every week, Dart did just that.

You could see the future with each dropback, picture what this team could be with him at the helm.

Now the team's lone bright spot is gone, too.

And the Giants have only themselves to blame.