Can Jaxson Dart outduel Drake Maye when the New York Giants travel to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots in a Monday Night Football showdown?
The more realistic question is whether Dart can keep pace with the MVP contender in a game the Patriots can’t overlook. In returning from concussion protocol the Giants rookie is looking to pick up where he left off. Despite a 2-10 record, the Giants have been competitive, with a win coming against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.
In that upset win, Dart has proved he’s not phrased by the prime-time spotlight. But that was at home. Now traveling on the road against a team that has won 9 consecutive games, can Dart help lead his team to an upset while showing he can go head-to-head with Maye who is shining in his second season in the NFL?
If the Giants are to have a chance in this game, it will be more about what Dart and the offense is able to do against a Patriots’ defense that has shown some weaknesses over the last couple of weeks, mainly due to key injuries.
What the Patriots are saying about Jaxson Dart
Patriots’ interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr knows the challenge Dart poses for his defense. The Patriots must generate a pass rush to speed the rookie quarterback up, but they also must contain him in the pocket as the team has struggled against mobile quarterbacks. Even if they generate pressure, the key is not to relax against Dart because he is a player who doesn’t give up on a play.
Speaking to the media this week, Kuhr highlighted the competitive nature of Dart.
“He’s a great player ... he has the will to win for all 60 minutes,” Kuhr said, as transcribed by Masslive.com. “He plays the whole game no matter what the situation is, whether they’re down or up. He’s playing to win the game.
“He’s just the ultimate competitor. You can see that on film,” Kuhr continued. “He’s taken those hits ... I think that’s the competitiveness in him. But he’s accurate, elusive, a great scrambler, and keeps his eyes downfield. He’s got a lot of good qualities.”
New York Giants (2-10) vs New England Patriots (10-2) game details: How to watch, odds
Date: Monday, December 1, 2025 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, MA
TV: ESPN | Live Stream: Fubo TV (try for free)
Betting Odds: Patriots -7.5; over/under 46.5 (via DraftKings)
Jaxson Dart vs Patriots’ defense
Dart’s arm talent and mobility will be a problem for the Patriots. With similar athleticism to that of May, the defense should be well prepared to contain Dart if they are able to shut down the Giants’ running game. If the Giants can control the trenches and run the ball consistently, Dart will be more effective running RPO plays. The Patriots did struggle a bit in a primetime game against the New York Jets where Justin Fields go going on the ground. The difference is Dart can make plays with his arm, which was an area Fields was limited.
In all, this matchup features two quarterbacks on similar paths. Although drafted higher, Maye sat a few weeks behind a veteran quarterback before getting his chance to show what he can do on a struggling team. Maye also was placed into concussion protocol after taking big hits. Ironically, the Patriots second-year quarterback was a player the Giants coveted in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, they have a player who brings similar athleticism at the QB position.
Bold prediction: Dart will make plays, but he will also make mistakes in this game. He’ll throw for close to 200 yards, but most of those yards will come with the Giants in catchup mode. Maye will throw for over 300 yards for the first time in his career as the Patriots take care of business against the Giants by a score of 31-17.