Jaxson Dart battling sad New York Giants reality: 'A lot of adversity'

New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is staring down a brutal NFL baptism, but he's refusing to flinch amid a season straight out of a nightmare.

"There's been a lot of adversity," Dart admitted Tuesday, encapsulating the Giants' 2-11 freefall. "Obviously, there are some things that have happened that aren't ideal, but I'm just trying to take the perspective of, like I said, control what I can control, keep these guys in the locker room together, continue to stay engaged, finish this year off the right way.

Already the first team eliminated from the playoffs -- their earliest ouster since 1976 -- New York has fired head coach Brian Daboll, replaced by offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

Dart himself sat out for two weeks with a concussion, while the roster has been decimated by injuries to key pieces, including running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers.

The skid is historic: Seven straight losses overall, a franchise-record 13 consecutive road defeats dating back to last season. Adversity? It's the organization's default mode, with just two playoff trips and one victory since the 2011 miracle run.

Yet Dart, drafted to inject hope, preaches resilience.

"Control what I can control," he said. "Execute the play calls that are given. Be situationally aware to put our team in the best situation. I want to definitely capitalize on some more things down the field. We've got to make plays, I've got to make more plays, the guys around have got to make more plays, so we've all got to be in sync with that."

Chatting with veteran Jameis Winston, Dart frames the chaos as "all part of the plan," even if it's not the fairy-tale debut he envisioned.

"I know what kind of player I am. I know what kind of leader I am," Dart insisted. "I know what the vision is here, and we have the right pieces that we can continue to step on. We just need a little momentum. We need to be able to make those plays at the end."

Asked if he still buys into the Giants' vision from April?

"100 percent," he said.

Unwavering faith, he says, is the antidote -- even when positivity feels like a pipe dream. With momentum elusive, Dart's grit might be the lone bright spot in Big Blue's bleak reality.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Jaxson Dart battling sad New York Giants reality: 'A lot of adversity'