Dallas Cowboys fans may have been hoping that New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart would faceplant hard in his NFL debut, but the resulting performance saw him do just enough to create some media narratives that will make Cowboys fans sick to their stomach.
While Dart did find the end zone twice as he led the Giants to an upset of the Los Angeles Chargers in what was their first win of the season, the raw numbers behind the game may not be as impressive as the media praise for Dart might make it seem.
Dart threw for just 111 yards in this game, was sacked five times, and needed a miraculous defensive performance from his team against a beat-up Chargers offensive line. Those numbers put him in some exclusive company, albeit maybe not the one Dart wants to find himself in.
Dart became the first player to run for a touchdown, rush for 50 yards, and throw for a touchdown in his first professional start since...Tim Tebow in his first extended action with the Denver Broncos. If Dart ends up being Tebow, the Cowboys will take that 10 times out of 10.
Cowboys fans shouldn't be scared of Jaxson Dart after NFL debut
Dart should be commended for picking up the win against a very tough opponent, but through no fault of his own, his fans might try to annoint him as the guy who can singlehandedly fix this organization. He needs to have a few more starring shows before he gets to that point.
Remember when Daniel Jones threw four touchdowns in his debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? It took seven years and a forced sojourn to Indianapolis for Jones to look like a quality starting quarterback and not just pure comedy at the Giants' expense.
As the Giants have shown against Dallas, this defense may not be all it is cracked up to be when that standout pass rush is neutralized with quick passes. Dart still has to deal with a coaching staff that is likely on their way out, which puts New York behind Dallas, Washington, and Philadelphia in the NFC East arms race.
Dart may end up being pretty good, but any Giants fan who is taking another victory lap over the Cowboys and their fans to defend a player who put up Tebow-esque numbers in his first game should either be mocked or laughed off as wholly unserious.