New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart led his team to a stunning 34-17 victory of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw his first interception of the season, and prompted controversy early in the game when his team ran four straight tush push plays.
The Eagles scored their first touchdown of the game on the sequence of repetitive “tush pushes” inside New York’s 10-yard line. Referees also missed a false-start on the Eagles on one of those plays.
Prominent figures including Green Bay Packers star linebacker Micah Parsons and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy criticized the Eagles for overusing the play on social media.
Dart overcame an injury scare in the third quarter when he had to leave the game and get checked out by the medical staff, as the Giants led by 10. But he returned on the very next drive, and then eventually led the Giants on a game-clinching touchdown drive to extend their lead to 17.
Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo bulldozed his way into the end zone from 4 yards out and twice from the 1-yard line. Dart scampered in untouched on his 20-yard TD run and connected with Wan’Dale Robinson on a 35-yard catch-and-run to the end zone.
The rookies who each fumbled on Sunday in a turnover-heavy loss at New Orleans responded the way coach Brian Daboll expected. Dart finished 17 of 25 for 195 yards passing and 13 carries for 58 yards after getting a concussion test following a big hit, while Skattebo rushed 19 times for a career-high 98 yards.
This was just the Giants’ fourth victory in their past 18 games against the Eagles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
