Dart disappointed after turnovers doom the Giants in a 26-14 loss to the Saints

Dart completed eight of his first nine passes and the Giants capped their first two possessions with touchdown catches by tight end Theo Johnson for an early 14-3 lead.

But that early success was overshadowed by turnovers on five consecutive series spanning from late in the first half to midway through the fourth quarter.

Dart was responsible for three of the miscues, following up his unforced fumble with back-to-back interceptions in the fourth quarter — one week after playing a much cleaner game in a 21-18 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in his first career start.

“We have to cut that (stuff) out, and it starts with me just being a leader,” said Dart, who replaced veteran Russell Wilson after the Giants (1-4) lost their first three games.

“As a quarterback, I put that on myself. I told the guys in the locker room this one’s on me and I’m going to get better.”

The run of turnovers began when linebacker Demario Davis stripped from the ball from wide receiver Darius Slayton at the New Orleans 41 late in the first half with the Giants still ahead 14-13.

Safety Jonas Sanker scooped up Slayton’s fumble and returned it to the New York 41, setting up a go-ahead Blake Grupe 29-yard field goal as the first half ended.

“I was trying to make a play,” said Slayton, whose fumble helped the Saints (1-4) take their first lead in any game since the second quarter of a Week 1 loss to Arizona.

“I don’t know how I lost the ball, but obviously right there I have to do a better job of securing the ball while I’m running with it. I’m pretty frustrated, mostly with myself.”

Then came Dart’s unforced fumble on the opening possession of the second half.

“It just fell out of my hand,” he said.

That mistake led to a 28-yard Grupe field goal for a 19-14 Saints lead.

With the Giants threatening to retake the lead, Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee dislodged the ball from rookie running back Cam Skattebo. Safety Jordan Howden picked up the loose ball and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown.

“He got it out perfectly, and I handed them a touchdown,” Skattebo said. “He punched the ball from the backside, and I didn’t hold on tightly enough.”

Dart followed with a fourth down heave that cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry intercepted at the Saints 5, followed on the next series by an errant pass that McKinstry caught at the New York 45.

The Giants failed to score on their final eight possessions.

“Five turnovers to zero, you’re not going to win in this league,” coach Brian Daboll said. “Those kill you. Most of them were on the plus-50 or down there in the scoring zone.”

Dart finished 26 of 40, but with no completion of longer than 18 yards. He missed his best chance for a big play when he underthrew Slayton in the second quarter on a flea flicker that could have gone for a 52-yard touchdown, allowing safety Terrell Burgess to recover and break it up.

“I just wish I would have tried to go back and get the ball in a different way and maybe jump and go get it,” Slayton said. “The quarterback can’t be perfect. If they put it near us, it’s our job to go fight for the ball.”

Dart received support from multiple teammates and Daboll.

“It’s about winning. I don’t take any excuse for age or being a rookie," he said. "There’s a responsibility when you’re a quarterback to be able to win games.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl