Six weeks into the 2025 season, the New York Giants sit at 2-4 — but two rookies are making the record feel secondary. Quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo have injected a jolt of confidence into a franchise that badly needed it, delivering opening-drive touchdowns in all three of Dart’s starts and capping the run with a 34-17 dismantling of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Rookie Spark: How Dart and Skattebo Jolted the Giants’ Offense and Locker Room
The energy inside the Giants’ building has shifted noticeably since Brian Daboll benched Russell Wilson and handed the keys to Dart. According to FOX Sports/AP (Oct. 16, 2025), New York has scored touchdowns on its opening drives in all three of Dart’s starts — a streak that signals something more than a hot streak.
Dart himself acknowledged the change in atmosphere after the Eagles win. “I think we have a little bit more excitement in the locker room,” he said, per Giants.com (Oct. 9, 2025). “We feel like anytime we go out there on the field, anybody we’re playing against, we have a chance to win.”
That belief is spreading. Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott put it plainly, per Big Blue View (Oct. 10, 2025): “It’s contagious. Jaxson and Skatt are two different guys, they don’t even feel like rookies in the locker room. We need the energy, and they help us all out as a team.”
Infectious Energy: Inside the Locker Room Vibes Fueled by Youth
Skattebo’s outgoing personality has been a talking point around the facility since Day 1, with teammates quick to share stories about their first encounters with the fourth-round pick out of Arizona State. Dart, meanwhile, earns respect through a different currency — a willingness to take hits and keep moving forward that resonates with veterans and coaches alike.
Head coach Brian Daboll described Skattebo’s value in straightforward terms, per ClutchPoints (Oct. 10, 2025): “He’s just a good teammate, plays with a high amount of energy, toughness. Certainly people can feed off that.” The two rookies have also built a partnership that extends beyond game days. “Me and (Dart) do a lot of things on the side together, talk a lot together about kind of getting this turned around,” Skattebo said, per NFL.com (Oct. 10, 2025). “Not doing it on our own, but getting everyone to buy in and continue to stay positive and work to be better.”
Unconventional Catalysts: Skattebo’s Antics, Dart’s Grit Captivate Teammates
The results on the field have backed up the locker-room buzz. FOX Sports/AP reports the Giants have scored touchdowns on their opening drives in all three of Dart’s starts — a rhythm the offense simply didn’t have under Wilson. Against Philadelphia, Skattebo ran for three scores as New York rolled to a 34-17 victory over the defending champions, per NFL.com (Oct. 10, 2025).
The chemistry between the two rookies has been a tangible offensive asset. CBS Sports (Oct. 9, 2025) noted that Dart and Skattebo shared carries and connected eight times through the air for 56 yards across Weeks 4 and 5 alone. Dart also showed growth under pressure: after absorbing five sacks in his debut, he was taken down just three times across 68 drop-backs over the following two weeks, per FOX Sports/AP.
Sustaining Momentum: Giants Embrace ‘Business as Usual’ Amid Newfound Optimism
The Eagles win didn’t arrive without context. Just one week earlier, New York dropped a 26-14 decision to the New Orleans Saints — a game in which Dart and Skattebo were responsible for four of the team’s five turnovers, per NFL.com. The bounce-back made the statement louder, but it also underscored how quickly things can unravel.
Dart has been direct about what comes next. “It’s a long season, so we have to bring it every single day,” he said, per Giants.com. “We have to stack wins. We can’t have performances where we play really good, next game we turn the ball over five times. That stuff can’t happen.” Daboll has echoed that measured tone, keeping the focus on preparation rather than celebration.
Renewed Belief: Giants Carry Rookie Energy Into Denver’s League-Leading Defense
The next test will be the stiffest yet. Denver’s defense leads the NFL with 30 sacks heading into the matchup, per FOX Sports/AP (Oct. 16, 2025), and the Broncos are coming off a game in which they dropped Justin Fields nine times — one shy of a franchise record. For a quarterback still finding his footing, that is a formidable wall to run into.
Dart isn’t shying away from it. “It’s going to be a really good test for us, one that I think we’re all excited for,” he said, per FOX Sports/AP. “In my mind, I see them as one of the best defenses in the entire league.” Skattebo, meanwhile, offered a grounded take on what this moment means for the organization, per NFL.com: “The franchise has been a losing franchise the last couple years, but that’s not who we are right now.”
The Giants are 2-4 and under no illusions about the climb ahead. But with Dart finding consistency under center and Skattebo providing a physical, infectious presence in the backfield, New York has something it lacked for much of the past two seasons — a reason to believe the next game might look different from the last.
