The Giants open their 2026 season Sunday afternoon against the Titans at MetLife Stadium.
Officially, of course, their season began two weeks ago, but this is now A.D.
After Dart.
This is the first game in the A.D. era, a forthcoming span of time the Giants never envisioned having to live through.
The unthinkable happened when Dart, seven snaps into the second game of his second season, went down and out with a left knee injury, sending shock waves reverberating through a franchise that one week earlier delighted in showcasing what all the hubbub surrounding this 23-year-old quarterback was all about.
That is all gone now, until 2027. The season is not over but the feel of this Giants journey now takes on a different tone.
Dart underwent surgery Friday at the Hospital for Special Surgery to repair his left meniscus and medial collateral ligament. It’s expected to be a 4-6 month recovery period. He should be ready to roll in plenty of time for the 2027 season. Between then and now, the Giants will play 15 regular season games. As head coach John Harbaugh reminded everyone, this is not tennis, not a one-man game.
“You don’t forfeit,” Harbaugh said.
You do move on.
Harbaugh admitted the team meeting Wednesday, after the worst-case scenario with Dart was confirmed, was “challenging.” His immediate task went from planning to win with Dart to figuring out how to win without him, and to convince his players about that, as well. Harbaugh said Thursday’s practice was “probably our best practice of the season.” Now it is time to make it count.
“The preparation is what matters, and our football team will be out there playing the game and I’m looking forward to seeing how they play,” Harbaugh said.
The next step will be taken with Jameis Winston, the likable, passionate 32-year-old with the effervescent personality and loosey-goosey playing style. The Giants recently gave him a two-year, $13 million contract extension because they believe he is one of the NFL’s best backup quarterbacks.
Well, backups sometimes have to play. The Giants now shift from the tangible enthusiasm with Dart to the tangible uncertainty of Winston — either a leap of faith or a plunge off a cliff.
A deep dive into Winston or, quite frankly, anything else involved in this game might be wasted time and effort, considering the forecast of a nor’easter storm that could turn the swamps of this New Jersey outpost into a windy, rainy slopfest. It remains to be seen if the Giants (1-1) or Titans (0-2) are more equipped to handle harsh playing conditions.
It was becoming apparent that the Giants could count on Dart to win games for them. Now the focus must shift to a more dire undertaking: Find a way to have Winston not lose games for them. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy admits he has joked with Winston about his NFL-high 30 interception season back in 2019 with the Buccaneers — along with 33 touchdown passes — but those light-hearted conversations were with a backup.
“But now here it is,” Nagy said. Yes, here it is with Winston.
“Respecting that football and ball security is paramount, this type of team that we have,” Nagy said. “So, he knows that. He’s as true of a pro as you’ll be around, preparation-wise and how he handles this. So, you just play his game, be who he is, and then we’ve got to help him as a staff, too.”
The offensive staff can shape and form the game plan for what Winston does best — throw it intermediate and deep — but no one can take over Winston’s head and make decisions for him. He is 36-53 as an NFL starter.
Harbaugh described the shift in the offensive approach “maybe a lane change as opposed to changing direction or anything like that.” The Giants strongly felt they were on the right course with Dart. Now they must plug some different routes into the navigation system and see where it takes them.
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