Oct 31, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) looks on during pre-game warmups before the game against Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Monday night, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart left the game early in the first quarter with a left knee injury. Ian Rapoport reported that Dart sustained an apparent MCL sprain; X-rays were negative, but the Giants starter is likely to have an MRI soon. With their No. 1 pick sidelined, veteran QB Jameis Winston is expected to take Dart’s role.
The Giants lost Monday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams 28-3 as Jameis Winston recorded 111 yards through the air with one interception, completing 40% of his passes. The backup brings raw energy and emotion to a team’s morale, but Winston’s on-field efficiency doesn’t always match.
On a recent episode of First Take, former Super Bowl champion Chris Canty debated whether the Giants can compete without Jaxson Dart in the lineup. Canty shared his bold opinion on Winston as the starter and didn’t hold back on the Giants’ future.
“If Jameis Winston has to be the starter, hell no!”@ChrisCanty99 debates whether the Giants can compete without Jaxson Dart in the lineup 🏈 pic.twitter.com/oxzBtkfpCU
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 22, 2026
“If Jameis Winston has to be the starter, hell no!” Canty said when asked if the Giants can compete. “I get it the Giants have a soft place to land with their schedule. Next five opponents they have a combined record of 2-8, but guess what? Those teams are looking at the Giants with trick-or-treat Jameis as the quarterback, saying, ‘We can get that.'”
“Jameis Winston, since the start of 2024, has started in nine games. In those nine games, he’s 2-7 as a quarterback, 51 QBR, completing 59% of his passes, 14 touchdowns to 15 picks. So the definition of trick or treat when he’s under center.”
Canty called Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s actions “disrespectful” as he studied the Giants’ offensive tendencies from last week and forced Winston to prove himself.
“It was so disrespectful what defensive coordinator Chris Shula did as far as the game plan last night. He saw all the plays that the New York Giants ran against the Dallas Cowboys in terms of their commitment to running the football; he took that away with eight- and sometimes nine-man fronts and dared Jameis Winston to beat em with his arm, and he couldn’t do it. And for a player that has been in the league a decade plus, you’ve got to be able to perform better even when you’re thrust into action due to injury, like we saw last night,” Canty added.
The Giants look to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 and have plenty of time to refocus. But it will be exciting to see the New York saga play out.
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Deshaun Watson
Bears helmet on Lambeau Field in a matchup against the Packers.
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