Giants vs. Jets Preseason Recap: Jaxson Dart Lights Up MetLife in Home Debut

Giants vs. Jets Preseason Recap: Jaxson Dart Lights Up MetLife in Home Debut

Final Score: Giants 31, Jets 12 – August 16, 2025, MetLife Stadium

The annual “Snoopy Bowl” saw the Giants claim bragging rights in East Rutherford, rolling to a 31-12 victory over the Jets. The night belonged to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who delivered a dazzling MetLife Stadium debut and gave Giants fans a glimpse of the future.

Jaxson Dart Steals the Show

The Giants’ first-round pick got his first taste of action with the starters, subbing in for Russell Wilson mid-drive. Dart wasted no time making an impression:

• He connected with Theo Johnson on a 30-yard strike.

• Opened the second half with a crisp 71-yard drive, capped by a touchdown pass to Greg Dulcich.

• Later punched in a short-yardage rushing score on a QB sneak.

Dart completed 13 straight passes at one point and finished an efficient 14-of-16 for 137 yards, 1 passing TD, and 1 rushing TD. His poised performance solidified the narrative that the Giants view him as their quarterback of the future.

“I thought guys were making great plays for me,” Dart said postgame. “I was just trying to distribute the ball to the playmakers.”

Russell Wilson’s Mixed Bag

Wilson, brought in to steady the offense in 2025, had a highlight reel moment of his own with a trademark “moon ball” — an 80-yard bomb to undrafted rookie Beaux Collins that wowed the MetLife crowd.

But his night ended on a sour note after an interception caused by miscommunication with Collins. Wilson wrapped up 4-of-7 for 108 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.

Head coach Brian Daboll praised the moon ball: “What a great ball by Russ... an 80-yard bomb, he dropped it in the bucket.”

Jets’ Offensive Struggles Continue

On the other side, the Jets looked disjointed offensively, especially with new quarterback Justin Fields. Fields only played two short, run-heavy series before exiting, finishing 1-of-5 for 4 yards. New York’s starting offense managed just a Nick Folk 38-yard field goal.

The struggles stood in stark contrast to Fields’ sharp preseason opener against Green Bay, where he went 3-of-4 with a rushing touchdown. Fields admitted afterward: “It wasn’t up to our standards.”

First-year head coach Aaron Glenn was more blunt:

“Overall, it wasn’t good enough. I don’t care if it was the starters, the second team, or third team — we have to be sharper.”

Backup QBs Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook showed flashes late, but inconsistency plagued the Jets all night.

By the Numbers

Scoring by Quarter

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
New York Jets	3	3	0	6	12
New York Giants	7	0	17	7	31

Team Totals

Statistic	Jets	Giants
Total Yards	333	478
Passing Yards	192	398
Rushing Yards	141	80
Turnovers	2	2

Passing Leaders

Player	Comp/Att	Yards	TD	INT
Giants Jaxson Dart (R)	14/16	137	1	0
Giants Jameis Winston	6/11	110	0	0
Giants Russell Wilson	4/7	108	0	1
Jets Adrian Martinez	12/21	114	0	1
Jets Brady Cook	6/11	74	1	0
Jets Justin Fields	1/5	4	0	0

Rushing Leaders

Player	Att	Yards	TD
Jets Breece Hall	7	34	0
Jets Kalen Nwangwu	6	31	0
Jets Devin Singletary	8	21	1
Giants T Stacy Jr.	7	39	0
Giants Devin Miller	5	17	0
Giants Jaxson Dart	2	5	1
Giants Jameis Winston	1	1	1

Receiving Leaders

Player	Receptions	Yards	TD	Long
Giants Beaux Collins	1	80	0	80
Giants Theo Johnson	1	30	0	30
Giants Greg Dulcich	1	20	1	20
Jets Brady Cook	2	48	1	22
Jets Brandin Cooks	5	48	0	20

Defensive Highlights

• Jets and Giants each recorded 2 interceptions.

• Giants recorded 2 sacks; Jets had 1 sack.

• Defensive plays were spread evenly across linebackers and secondary.

Injury Report

• Jets: WR/KR Xavier Gipson (shoulder) left in first half, DE Rashad Weaver and CB Bump Cooper (hamstrings) exited. CB Sauce Gardner (calf) and DE Will McDonald (knee) sat out.

• Giants: Rookie WR Malik Nabers has yet to play this preseason, missing joint practices and games.

Looking Ahead

• Jets: Host defending Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night, in a tough next test for the offense, especially QB Justin Fields.

• Giants: Host New England Patriots on Thursday night, with more snaps expected for both Jaxson Dart and Russell Wilson.

Final Takeaway

The New York Giants remain undefeated in the preseason at 2-0, powered by a breakout performance from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Meanwhile, the Jets have more offensive pieces to puzzle out with Justin Fields still growing into the role. Giants fans can savor this night where the future shone bright under the lights at MetLife.