Jameis Winston set to start for Giants as new coach demotes Russell Wilson
Mike Kafka has made his first significant decision as the Giants interim head coach.He has made a change to the quarterback depth chart, and Jameis Wiston will start if Jaxson Dart is unavailable on Sunday against the Packers at MetLife Stadium, the Post confirmed.
Get texts from Paul Schwartz with all the latest Giants news and insights, exclusive to Sports+ subscribers.The breakout rookie Dart remains in concussion protocol.
The expectation is he will not clear the protocol in time to be able to play this weekend.Winston moves ahead of Russell Wilson, who started the first three games this season and then served as Dart’s backup.
Winston was designated as an inactive player/third quarterback in every game this season, meaning he could only enter the game if the first two quarterbacks were injured.Dart went down near the end of the third quarter in last Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Bears in Chicago after he ran with the ball, fumbled, was hit from behind and hit his head on the ground.He played the first two snaps of the fourth quarter and then headed into the blue medical tent for observation.Kafka, 38, has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator since he was hired by Brian Daboll in 2022.
Daboll was fired Monday, with the Giants at 2-8 for the third consecutive season and on a four-game losing streak.Kafka on Wednesday will conduct his first practice in his new role and he will do it with a new quarterback as the starter.Wilson, a 36-year old, 14-year veteran, has looked alarmingly bad in his time on the field.
He went 0-3 as a starter, with his only strong performance a three-touchdown, 450-yard eruption in Dallas in a game the Giants should have won but lost 40-37 in overtime.His other two starts were poor.
Last week, Wilson was forced onto the field early in the fourth quarter when Dart left with a concussion.Wilson completed 3 of 7 passes for 45 yards and was sacked twice.
The passing game collapsed with him running the operation.Winston has been...