The Denver Broncos have a lot to improve on after barely squeaking by the Tennessee Titans in a Week 1 rock fight. The offense struggled mightily all afternoon, but still managed to put up enough points to emerge victorious, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as the performance from former Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and the New York Giants on Sunday.
Sunday was supposed to be the bright start of a new quarterbacking era for the Giants. They finally got off the poor contract they handed out to Daniel Jones a few years back and they got an experienced veteran in Wilson along with a talented rookie in Jaxson Dart to lead a Brian Daboll-led offense that has shown its potential to be at the top of the league.
Didn’t Broncos and Steelers fans say the same thing when Wilson first came to town?
RUSS DID NOT COOK
In his debut with the G-men, Wilson completed 17 of his 37 passes for 168 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception, and posted a passer rating of 59.3. The New York offense mustered a measly 3.7 yards per play with Wilson in control of the signals, a low point that the team hit only twice throughout the entire 2024 season when they won just three games.
There were quite a few puzzling decisions from the veteran throughout the afternoon.
I don’t want to jinx it, but uh… Russell Wilson doesn’t look good and I don’t know how long he lasts as the starter in New York. pic.twitter.com/ypjowuRC6B
— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 7, 2025
Seeing this unfold in real time was no surprise to any football fan in the cities of Denver and Pittsburgh. Both fanbases were duped of the image of the guy who was one of the league’s best quarterbacks in the 2010s. Since the 2020 season, it’s been all downhill for Wilson. After Sunday’s lackadaisical performance, Giants head coach Brian Daboll wasn’t ready to commit to the veteran as the Week 2 starter. He was asked after the game if he would look into starting Dart next week, and gave a very quick, vague answer.
“We’re going to get home and look at our game,” he said. “Collectively, we all got to do better.”
Daboll was asked two more times about whether or not Wilson would start against the Cowboys — whose defense looked better than expected to open the season — and continued to dance around the idea.
“This game isn’t on Russell Wilson. It’s not on Russell Wilson. I’m gonna make that clear. I’ve got confidence in Russ, we’ve got to do a better job all the way around,” Daboll said.
HOW LONG IS WILSON’S LEASH?
The only bright spot for the Giants in the last two seasons has been Drew Lock’s outburst for 309 yards and four touchdowns in a Week 17 victory over the Colts last year. Even then, that victory cost the franchise a shot at the No. 1 overall pick and quarterback Cam Ward.
Wilson’s performance against a Commanders defense that isn’t projected to be one of the better units in the league was uninspiring and already has people around the NFL, fans and pundits alike, calling for his benching. Throwing Dart into the fire right away may not produce victories off the bat, but the Broncos showed with Bo Nix in 2024 that it produces valuable experience.
If it gets to the end of September and the Giants’ offense still looks this shady, it will probably be time to opt with the rookie under center. They do have Jameis Winston on the roster as well, so that could be another option to replace Wilson if Daboll and his staff don’t feel that Dart is ready for the big stage.
At least the 36-year-old only signed a one-year contract with the Giants, so the consequences aren’t too high if they need to sit him like the Broncos did. Greg Penner is still dealing with Wilson’s $32 million dead cap hit this season, but has managed to work around it by signing many of his key guys to long-term extensions. Giants fans should appreciate that fact, even if they have to turn to their young gunslinger early in the season.