Matt Citak: As the Giants know, 30+ points in three consecutive games is no easy feat. A lot of factors go into this sort of team success, as it takes complementary football to be able to score 107 total points across three consecutive games. But at the end of the day, it’s no secret that one of the most significant factors is the performance from the quarterback position.
While most of the starting lineup on the offensive side of the ball did not change much from last year, the quarterback room went through a complete overhaul. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston were signed during free agency while Jaxson Dart was selected in the first round of the draft. The three signal-callers joined Tommy DeVito in a transformed quarterback room that has seemingly been on the same page since the first day of the offseason workout program. Whether it’s cheering each other on in practice or helping each other out in the meeting room, the four quarterbacks have formed a sort of bond that you don’t see every day. And guess what? It’s pretty clear that this closeness has helped lead to the strong results we’ve seen this summer.
Upon his arrival in East Rutherford, Wilson immediately started to elevate the offense as a whole. The long-time veteran brought a steadying presence to the unit both on and off the field, as just about every single one of his teammates has talked about over the last few months. While he will turn 37 in late November, Wilson has shown all summer that there is still plenty of gas left in the tank. His moonball pass has been on display on a near daily basis, dropping them perfectly 50 yards down the field, while he has also shown off his pinpoint accuracy on short and intermediate routes. Both he and Winston came to the Giants with a ton of experience and success under their belts, so there wasn’t a whole lot we needed to see from them in the preseason. It’s the development of the rookie that has really been eye-opening this summer.
We knew Dart’s growth was going to be one of the biggest storylines around the team all summer. What we maybe didn’t know was just how dominant the 22-year-old was going to look from the moment he stepped onto the field. Across the three preseason games, Dart completed 32 of 47 passes (68.1 percent) for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His completion percentage and yardage would have looked even better had it not been for a number of drops by his pass-catchers. Dart also showed off his athleticism with six carries for 52 yards (8.7 yards per attempt) and an additional touchdown on the ground. And let’s not forget about DeVito, who put together the best performance of any Giants QB this summer in Thursday’s preseason finale. DeVito completed 85 percent of his passes for 198 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 147.5 passer rating.
Between coach Brian Daboll, assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney and the four signal-callers themselves, there is a clear bond and level of trust between the group that is leading to such strong results on the field. Now the real test will be if it continues in Washington come Week 1.
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