If there’s one thing we know about the NFL, it’s that a quarterback’s memory needs to be shorter than a goldfish’s. You throw a pick? Forget it. You have a game where you only manage 33 passing yards? Burn the tape and move on. That is exactly the mentality rookie Quarterback Jaxson Dart is bringing into Week 17 as the New York Giants prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders.
Last week against the Vikings was rough. Completing 7 of 13 passes is a stat line that keeps you up at night. But Dart isn’t hiding under the covers. He’s taking it on the chin with a maturity that belies his rookie status. “I know the kind of player I am,” Dart said this week. “I’m going to bounce back.” You have to respect the confidence. It’s the kind of moxie that makes you want to run through a brick wall for the guy.
A Learning Curve With Veteran Mentors
It helps when your support system includes guys who have seen it all. Dart has been leaning on the wisdom of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. If anyone knows about the rollercoaster of NFL highs and lows, it’s those two. Their advice? Keep the urgency, clean up the mistakes, but don’t spiral. The league is week-to-week, and wallowing in self-pity is the quickest way to find yourself holding a clipboard permanently.
Giants Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka is backing his young signal-caller, too. “Putting the ball in Jaxson Dart’s hands, I’ll take that any day of the week,” Kafka said. The Giants need that kind of unwavering belief right now. The Giants are sitting at a painful 2-13, and a win in Vegas would go a long way in healing some bruised egos.
The Raiders’ Reality Check
On the other side of the field, the Raiders are dealing with their own drama. Their defense, which has been the duct tape holding the season together, just took a massive hit. Veteran Safety Jeremy Chinn is heading to Injured Reserve, meaning he’s done for the year. That’s a tough blow for a unit that’s already been playing musical chairs with its roster due to injuries. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham admitted Chinn’s absence will be loud. You don’t just replace a guy whose hits sound like car crashes.
But don’t think the Raiders are rolling over. Despite losing 13 of their last 14 games, they looked surprisingly competent against the Texans last week.
The Tank Bowl Elephant In the Room
Here’s the funny, twisted part of this matchup: both the Giants and Raiders are neck-and-neck for the No. 1 overall draft pick. It is the game nobody really wants to win, but everyone has to try to win. A loss here might actually be a win for the future of the franchise. It’s the kind of 4D chess that makes fans’ heads hurt. But try telling that to Dart or Maxx Crosby. These guys are wired to compete, draft position be damned.
So, what can we expect on Sunday? A desperate Giants team looking to snap a nine-game skid, a battered Raiders squad trying to salvage some pride, and a rookie QB determined to prove last week was a fluke. It might not be the Super Bowl, but hey, it’s football. And in a season like this, sometimes a little redemption story is all you need.
