Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson was brought in to steady the ship with experience. But his debut with the New York Giants was anything but reassuring. He finished just 17-of-37 for 168 yards, completing under 46% of his passes while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. New York moved the ball past midfield a handful of times, yet each drive fizzled out, producing only two field goals. Even in the red zone, penalties handed the Giants extra chances, but Wilson and the offense failed to capitalize.

Wilson’s legs covered some ground as he led the team with 44 rushing yards on eight scrambles. Still, that underscored a bigger problem. Almost every run was the byproduct of a collapsing pocket and broken plays. Malik Nabers gave the crowd some life with five catches for 71 yards. But the Washington Commanders‘ defense smothered him with double teams once it was clear Wilson couldn’t stretch the field. The second year WR’s frustration was obvious on the sideline.

The offense mustered just 231 total yards and looked eerily similar to last year’s stagnant unit. Meanwhile, the larger concern wasn’t just the lack of production but how off-target Wilson looked. And it’s no doubt that one such performance has opened the room for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to take the reins. “They’re not going anywhere with Russell Wilson… It’s just a matter of time before Dart steps in,” Brian T. Smith of talkSPORT said.

Giants’ insider Stephen Lebitsch also pointed out, “Another clunker is bound to start fully turning the focus towards Brian Daboll and his young quarterback prodigy in Jaxson Dart, whose name will draw even louder calls from the fanbase with each early loss that piles up.”

Sept 7, 2025: New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll and New York Giants QB 3 Russell Wilson during the Washington Commanders game against the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD. /CSM Landover United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20250907_zma_c04_125 Copyright: xJustinxCooperxBrian Daboll, who was initially hesitant about committing to Wilson, has now confirmed that he’ll be starting against the Dallas Cowboys. However, the margin for error is razor thin. As Will Gavin put it, “I really think this is set up for Jaxson Dart… He’s going to be the savior… and New York will have found their new hero.”

For the time being, Wilson is still the one leading the team. But if he has another rough outing, the narrative could quickly change from being the veteran hero to just a temporary solution. And when that shift happens, the future might just come knocking in East Rutherford sooner than anyone expected.

Giants’ week 1 debacle puts Brian Daboll on notice

John Mara said this back in January when he decided to go ahead with the pairing of Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen: “I’m not gonna put any kind of time limit on it, but I certainly understand how they’re going with that.” Better not ask him again. Becuase that limit might be shortening a bit too quick.

After a promising 3-0 preseason, where they rode on a high horse. The Week 1 gave them a brutal reality check. A 21-6 beatdown. Everything fell apart. The offensive line crumbled without Andrew Thomas, as fill-in James Hudson III struggled, and the entire unit faltered. Wilson faced constant pressure, and the ground game never got going. On the other side, the run defense was torn apart for 220 yards. 

Jayden Daniels ran rampant, rookie back Jacory Croskey-Merritt sliced through for 82 yards and a touchdown, and Deebo Samuel even strolled in on a 19-yard end-around. 

And the the Big Blue’s receiver corp? They were nowhere to be found. Nabers was the only one carrying the load. But things boiled over with a sideline argument with Daboll. Beyond him, the rest of the pass-catchers managed just 97 yards combined. That’s not going to pass in a division loaded with talent.

To make matters worse, this wasn’t just a one-off disaster. The Giants haven’t won a divisional game since 2022. They were one of only two teams in the league that got shut out in divisional play last season. Just one week into 2025, they seem no closer to turning things around. Their next challenge? A primetime showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.