A quarterback change to Jaxson Dart may have changed the New York Giants' fortunes

In rookie Jaxson Dart's first career start, the New York Giants took out a Super Bowl contender. But the victory came with a cost.

The notion that the New York Giants would switch quarterbacks this season had appeared to be a matter of when, not if, since April. Trading up in the NFL draft to select a quarterback in the first round has a way of starting a clock on such decisions.

That change, officially, came in Week 4, and the timing was inauspicious. The Giants, winless and struggling, were hosting the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers, who had staked their claim to be discussed as a potential Super Bowl contender.

In a game in which each team suffered a significant loss, it was Dart who gave the Giants two things they had been lacking most the season.

A win, plus some hope.

Starting with an opening-drive touchdown capped by a designed run by Dart — the Giants’ first first-quarter touchdown this season — New York beat the Chargers 21-18 in Dart's first career start.