Pre-season takeaways, Aug. 21

By: Josh Frey-Sam

Jaxson Dart looks so damn good.

He appears to be in total control of everything around him.

The poise he displays is akin to a seasoned vet, and his pocket presence already has him looking like he could start a regular-season game today.

Now, I already know what you’re thinking. I get it, it’s preseason, but not every young quarterback looks this comfortable with just a few drives of game action under their belt.

The ball is out quickly and on time. He’s decisive. He uses his athleticism to his advantage. Most importantly, he understands what is expected of him on every play.

It’s easy to see what Brian Daboll saw in this kid and why he was head over heels for Dart.

It was more of the same on Thursday night, as the New York Giants wrapped up their pre-season slate with a 42-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dart played a little over a quarter in the game, going six-for-12 for 81 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed once for 23 yards.

As usual, the box score doesn’t tell the full story of how he played. Dart was operating without Malik Nabers at his disposal, and it showed as four of his passes were flat-out dropped.

The only knock on Dart came on his lone rushing attempt near the end of the first quarter. He had already picked up 15 yards and a first down, but inside of ducking out of bounds or sliding, he cut inside to pick up more yards.

He was tackled and hit his head hard on the ground in the process, forcing him to be taken out of the game and into concussion protocol. He was cleared quickly, but only after Jameis Winston found Jalin Hyatt for a long touchdown pass.

It’s a learning point for many young quarterbacks — GET DOWN!

Dart’s play is otherwise a tremendous development for Giants fans and those who already have Dart in dynasty leagues.

Not only does he want to do it with his arm, but he’s not afraid to make plays with his legs. He should be an awesome asset for years to come.

I have a few other takeaways from Thursday’s action of pre-season games.

I. I can’t help but wonder if Dart’s strong play will push the Giants to explore a trade for Winston. Dart would be the backup for the Giants, and Winston could be the backup elsewhere. One big barrier to this is that there haven’t been any major quarterback injuries yet, so perhaps there’s not really a trade market out there for Winston yet.

II. I wonder if we’ve seen the last of Hyatt in a Giants uniform. He was responsible for dropping two passes that Dart threw, both on beautifully placed deep balls. Drops have been an issue for him since arriving in the NFL as a third-round pick in 2023. He was an exceptional deep threat at the University of Tennessee, but his ball-tracking skills haven’t translated to the next level. He’s on the bubble.

III. Rookie running back Cam Skattebo made do with what he had available behind a backup offensive line. He logged only three carries for 12 yards, but all of his rushes were signature Skat runs — powerful. He’s an intriguing fantasy option this year. I think the Giants begin the year with Tyrone Tracy, but you best believe Skattebo will push him for touches. Tracy has also struggled with fumbles early in his career, and if that continues, we could see a short leash and Skattebo take over this backfield sooner than later.

IV. EDGE Abdul Carter, the third overall pick, played the first quarter, and while he didn’t make any splash plays, he looked pretty dynamic in the pass-rush reps I watched. He’s going to be a problem. In fact, the Giants’ defence is going to be a problem. It’s just a shame that they have a brutal schedule.

V. It doesn’t really mean much because he’s going to be cut, but Tommy DeVito was slinging it in what was possibly his last game as a Giant. Tommy Cutlets completed 17 of 20 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns, notching a 147.5 QB rating. A special ending for the hometown kid.

V. Not much to note on the Patriots’ side. They didn’t have anyone notable playing in the finale.

In the early game, the Pittsburgh Steelers knocked off the Carolina Panthers 19-10. Only a few notes from this one.

I. The Steelers started much of their No. 1 defence — minus a few vets like TJ Watt, Darius Slay and Cam Hayward — against the Panthers’ backups. I think we got a decent taste of what to expect from this unit in the regular season. This should be an aggressive defence that cranks up the blitz rate.

II. Jalen Ramsey was the guy to watch, and it was tough to keep track of him. The Steelers are going to use him all over the field — safety, cornerback and at nickel corner, where he blitzed from twice. He’s going to be crucial to this defence’s success.

III. Rookie running back Kaleb Johnson got some run as a kick returner and on offence. He returned two kicks and got blown up on one. Then he logged five carries for 24 yards. Johnson looked a bit better in this game. I didn’t think he looked dynamic in the pre-season before Thursday, which was odd considering what we saw from him in college. I’m still not 100 per cent sure what his role in the Steelers’ offence will be.

IV. An injury scare for rookie first-round pick, defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, who left the game on a cart with a knee injury in the second quarter — looking distraught — but returned to the sideline later on after receiving news that his injury was nothing major. Head coach Mike Tomlin described it as a “knee sprain of some description” after the game. Perhaps his NFL debut will be delayed.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh