Giants prepare Jaxson Dart for playing in Philly: ‘He’s about to get introduced to all [of his haters]’
Dart beat the Eagles in Week 6, but he will get his first experience playing at the Linc on Sunday. Here's what he and the Giants are saying about their second game in three weeks against the Birds.
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has quickly become a fan favorite in New York, leading the Giants to a 34-17 win over the Eagles in Week 6 and flashing potential for the future.
But he will get his first experience with the environment in Philadelphia on Sunday. Here’s what the Giants are saying about their second matchup in three weeks with the Birds:
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‘It’s going to be intense’
Dart and the Giants are 2-1 at home, including that win over the Eagles, but haven’t won a road game this season (0-4).
Lincoln Financial Field is one of the toughest stadiums for a road team to play at in the NFL — especially for division rivals.
“It’s going to be intense, for sure,” said Dart, a first-round pick out of Mississippi. “I can’t wait to go out there and compete and feel the hostility in the air and the rivalry between the two organizations. I kind of compare it to an SEC rivalry.”
‘Stick close to your brothers’
Dart’s teammates are trying to prepare him for the environment at the Linc. Eagles fans certainly will be out to give Dart and fellow rookie Cam Skattebo a warm Philly welcome.
“I mean, if he didn’t have any haters, he’ll find out where they all live,” Giants receiver Darius Slayton said Wednesday. “He’s about to get introduced to all of them.”
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“You’ve got to stick close to your brothers in the locker room, just stay tight as one group, because that team and that fan base, they’re going to get a little gritty on the sidelines,” tight end Daniel Bellinger told the New York Post. “I would tell him, ‘Listen, focus on you, focus on the team, and stick together and not worry about the outside noise.’”
Facing Dart again
The Eagles and Giants played just two weeks ago. Before that Thursday night showdown, Dart had started just two games, so the Birds had minimal NFL tape on which to evaluate him.
The Eagles and Vic Fangio now have firsthand experience. Dart said this is the first time in his career that he’s played the same team twice in such a small window of time. How will the Giants respond to that challenge?
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“[Fangio’s] done a great job in this league for a long time,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said. “I can’t answer what he would do or what he wouldn’t do. You watch your game, you see how they played you. [Jalen] Carter’s back. Does that make a difference relative to the scheme and what they want to do? I don’t know.
“I just know that Vic’s a challenging coordinator to game plan against. Again, Jaxson’s played a good amount of football in his career. These last four weeks, he’s got a routine down, and we do everything we can do to get him ready to play.”