Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart has a fantastic touchdown pass as part of his preseason debut

The New York Giants need something to get excited about, and Jaxson Dart might have lit a fire with one perfect pass.

The second of the Giants' two first-round picks this year got his first NFL preseason action and had one pass that got the attention of the team's fans and everyone else. Dart went back to pass and just before he was hit he threw deep down the left sideline to Lil'Jordan Humphrey. The pass traveled about 35 yards in the air and was placed perfectly for the touchdown.

Dart had an impressive preseason debut, but the pass to Humphrey was the clear highlight.

Dart looked comfortable most of his time in the game, though he was a bit inaccurate on a few passes. He had a chance to run the two-minute drill at the end of the first half and did a fair job, getting the team into field-goal range though his third down pass was a little late, behind the receiver and broken up. That stalled the drive, thought team got three points out of the drive.

In the first half Dart was 12 of 19 for 154 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He also led the team in the first half with 24 yards rushing.

In other words, it won't stop the speculation on when Dart will take over as the team's QB.

Russell Wilson is the current starter, and he played on Saturday. Wilson's one drive was uneventful. He threw quick, short passes and never took a chance downfield. He completed 6-of-7 passes for 28 yards and his drive ended with a Giants field goal. It wasn't exciting but Wilson doesn't have a whole lot to prove at age 36. The Giants know what they have with him.

Saturday's game showed the juxtaposition the Giants will face at quarterback. Wilson will be efficient but unexciting. Dart is far more of an unknown, but he has the ability to make plays (and mistakes) right away, and obviously is a more exciting player for the future. Dart didn't play in a pro-ready offense at Ole Miss, and the Giants know that his development might take a while.

Dart entered after Wilson's only drive and had a few short completions on his first possession but ended it on a bad pass. On third down he stepped up in the pocket and missed tight end Greg Dulcich badly over the middle for an incompletion. He did miss a few passes, but the Giants would be willing to live with that if he's also moving the offense regularly, as he did against the Bills.

One of Dart's strengths is his ability to scramble, and he looked good on a 19-yard run for a first down.

When Dart plays will be the major story of the Giants' season. Theoretically, Wilson could play well right away and lead the Giants to the playoffs, leaving Dart to sit on the bench all season and learn. That doesn't seem like the most likely outcome for the Giants, who will be picked to finish last in the NFC East by practically everyone. Dart provides a a higher ceiling than Wilson, who is nearing the end of his career, but he could also struggle as he adjusts to the NFL game.

The Giants get two more preseason games, and presumably Dart will be a big part of both of them. They'll want to get the longest look at him possible before the regular season, then have a better understanding of when to give him starts. Giants fans probably want that to happen sooner rather than later.