The hit was a quick reminder that Jaxson Dart still has a lot to learn.
The New York Giants' rookie quarterback, just returned from a concussion, could've gone out of bounds sooner, not quite invited the contact from the on-charging Patriots linebacker. But Dart hung in there, knowing the hit was coming, and got launched onto the sideline, inciting a scuffle between the two teams on Monday night.
It's exactly the kind of thing the Giants don't want to see. It's the kind of thing the Giants can't afford. They traded back into the first round to take Dart in April at No. 25 overall. He's meant to become the franchise QB, and the only way he can do that is by being on the field.
It's time for Dart to learn a lesson from Drake Maye, the New England Patriots' second-year QB who beat him on Monday night to improve the Pats to 11-2.
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This is what Maye looked like last year.
Maye is athletic, too, capable of a designed run or a scramble to pick up strong yardage. And he too didn't love shying away from contact as a rookie. He may have been even worse than Dart has been at putting himself in tough spots.
And Maye, like Dart, had to leave a number of games for medical evaluation, usually coming back in but still a concern.
This season, Maye hasn't done that as much. He's made a similar evolution to early-career Josh Allen, recognizing how to pick his spots and also how his athleticism can enhance his passing game, too.
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Dart has immense natural tools. He throws exactly like you'd expect for a guy whose last name is Dart.
He just has to be on the field.
On ESPN2's ManningCast on Monday night, Peyton and Eli Manning remarked over and over that a leading QB like Dart's most important contribution is being out there for his team each and every week. The rest takes care of itself.
So Dart should take a page out of Maye's playbook and figure out how to pick his spots and protect himself. The Giants need him upright and nowhere near the blue medical tent.
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