Jaxson Dart — Week 1: Nine Third Downs, Nine Conversions
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 14
Dart completed 23 of 29 throws for 230 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, took two sacks, and ran eight times for 59 yards before three kneel-downs. He converted every third down he touched — seven throws, two runs — and the 16-yard throw to Malik Nabers on third and nine with 0:40 left in the half was worth 9.9 points of win probability, in a 28–20 win over the Cowboys.
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Seven to seven, 40 seconds left in the second quarter, third and nine at the New York 46. Jaxson Dart threw deep left to Malik Nabers, who ran out of bounds at the Dallas 38. 16 yards, +1.7 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 9.9 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it, the largest gain on any Giants play all night. Three plays later Dart hit Isaiah Likely for the touchdown that put New York ahead for good.
The line: 23 completions on 29 throws, 230 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, two sacks, +21.9 expected points on 31 pass plays. No passing game among the 30 teams that had played by Sunday night produced more in total. Before halftime it was 11 of 15 for a hundred 34 yards; after it, 12 of 14 for 96. The touchdowns: 15 yards short right to Likely on second and five with 25 seconds left in the half, two yards short right to Likely on second and two with seven oh four left in the third, and nine yards short left to Devin Singletary on third and five with seven 31 left in the game. The sacks were both in the second quarter, for no yards and for −8 — the second one a fumble Jon Runyan recovered. He also ran eight times for 59 yards and four first downs — six designed runs and two scrambles — and the longest was 22 yards around left end in the first quarter, worth nine points of win probability by itself once the 15-yard penalty on the tackle was added. Three kneel-downs at the end take the box-score total to 11 carries for 54.
The ball went nine times to Nabers, eight to Likely, four each to Malachi Fields and Singletary, two to Darnell Mooney, one each to Patrick Ricard and Theo Johnson; no throw was without a receiver. Likely's eight came out at +11.0 expected points, Nabers's nine at +5.0. 17 pass plays before halftime and 14 after, against 14 designed runs before and 18 after. On third down Dart threw seven times, completed seven, and converted seven; he ran twice more on third and one and converted both. The Giants converted nine of 10, the best rate among the 30 teams that had played by Sunday night, and the one miss was a Cam Skattebo run.
Back in June the preview made no call on Dart — the eleventh quarterback at pick 88, a rookie rushing floor with a passing game to build, priced about right — and named two things to watch: Nabers's availability first, then the passing efficiency. Sunday had both: Nabers played and led the team in targets, and the passing line was the most valuable in the league that week. The caveat is the opponent, a Dallas defense that finished 30-first against the pass last season, and one game against it does not make a year-two step. It is the first data point, and it is well above the line. The Giants are at the Rams on Monday night the 20-first.
_Data via nflverse._
When Jaxson Dart's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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