Russell Wilson
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The New York Giants revealed their plan for QB Russell Wilson against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
The New York Giants revealed their plan for Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart for Week 2’s game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, September 14, but both quarterbacks will rue the news their best offensive lineman still isn’t ready to take the field.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas will be inactive again, per Giants.com Managing Editor Dan Salomone, but the All-Pro isn’t the only absence in the trenches, where a Super Bowl winner will be missing from a defensive front seven set to play its first game without inside linebacker Micah McFadden.
GIANTS INACTIVES▪️OT Andrew Thomas▪️WR Xavier Gipson▪️LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles▪️OL Evan Neal▪️TE Thomas Fidone II▪️DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr.▪️QB Jameis Winston (3rd QB)
COWBOYS INACTIVES▪️RB Jaydon Blue▪️CB DaRon Bland▪️OLB Shemar James▪️DT Mazi Smith▪️OT Ajani… pic.twitter.com/vbCTlJK4sY
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) September 14, 2025
A spot on injured reserve was confirmed for McFadden this week, but defensive coordinator Shane Bowen already has a plan to replace him. A strategy possibly involving moving 2025 NFL draft third-overall pick Abdul Carter.
Bowen also needs a way to compensate for being without nose tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches. It’s meant a second-straight elevation from the practice squad for defensive tackle Elijah Garcia. The Giants are also giving a debut to rookie Darius Alexander after the third-round pick was a healthy scratch against the Washington Commanders last week.
Most of the focus, though, will remain on football’s most important position, where veteran Wilson must improve in a hurry with first-round pick Dart posing a real threat.
Giants Reveal QB Plan vs. Cowboys
Dart didn’t get onto the field against Washington, despite the Giants having a package of plays ready for the rookie. His lack of action in Week 1 didn’t quell any talk of a quarterback controversy after Wilson struggled mightily.
The 36-year-old looked like anything but a 10-time Pro Bowler when he completed just 17 of 37 passes at Northwest Stadium. Wilson also averaged a mere 4.9 air yards per completion, according to Pro Football Reference.
He must find a way to stretch the field more often, and the Giants are content to give him the chance. A report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed “there is ‘no sense of urgency’ in the New York Giants organization to bench Russell Wilson and start rookie Jaxson Dart.”
Unnamed sources also told Schefter this “doesn’t mean a change can’t come soon at the quarterback position, but the Giants would prefer that it not happen anytime soon, according to sources. New York would prefer to continue to be patient, let Wilson play well and give Dart the time he needs to develop.”
So it’s still Wilson’s job for now, but he’ll surely wish Thomas was on the field to make his task easier.
Andrew Thomas Will Be Missed
There’s no way for the Giants to adequately replace Thomas. Not when career backup James Hudson III floundered against the Commanders.
Hudson’s inability to read line games and stunts caused problems for other offensive linemen like left guard Jon Runyan Jr. Those problems were highlighted by the New York Post’s Brandon London.
It’s difficult to get competent QB play without at least adequate protection up front. The Giants have lacked those qualities for too long, and the pattern looks set to continue, even against a tame Cowboys pass rush missing roving game-wrecker Micah Parsons.
There are bigger problems in another area for the Giants’ defense.
Darius Alexander Gets Chance to Fix Struggling Run Defense
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose guard Nunez-Roches is arguably the best run defender on the team, so his absence will be felt along a front soft against the run last week. The Giants surrendered 220 yards and two scores on the ground against the Commanders.
Not having Nunez-Roches, who helped the 2020 Bucs lift the Lombardi Trophy, puts the spotlight on Alexander, but the Giants sound cautious about his development. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson preached patience when he said, “I’m not going to ruin that kid, because he’s got great upside to him. We just got to be patient and let him develop. Let him bloom,” per Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
DL coach Andre Patterson was passionate discussing rookie third-round pick Darius Alexander, who was a healthy scratch for the opener.
Patterson said he has "no doubt" Alexander is "going to be a really good football player for us." But Patterson said the worst thing he could…
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) September 12, 2025
Garcia joining the active roster again indicates the Giants are still wary about how much they’ll use ex-Toledo star Alexander. Whatever the plan, the line has to do more to clog running lanes and keep linebackers clean, particularly McFadden’s replacement.
It’s going to be Darius Muasau who will “primarily fill the void,” according to Schefter’s colleague Jordan Raanan. The latter noted how Bowen believes he’s “got to consider” playing Carter inside, but a role change for the dynamic edge-rusher would be a waste of his primary talents.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen says they "got to consider" using Abdul Carter some at weakside linebacker with Micah McFadden out. Darius Muasau will primarily fill the void.
Carter played close to 50% of defensive snaps in opener. Bowen said his playing time "will evolve as… pic.twitter.com/FQ2hMRhyob
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 11, 2025
The Giants did elevate a natural inside linebacker, Swayze Bozeman, on Saturday, per Salomone, so it’s more likely Carter spends most of his time rushing the passer.
That will mean Muasau carrying the load next to Bobby Okereke for a run defense under pressure to improve. Especially after Cowboys running back Javonte Williams rushed for two touchdowns in a losing cause against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
The greater pressure is still on Wilson to prove he merits the starting job. Doubts he can deliver, along with Thomas again missing out, explain why FanDuel has the Giants as 4.5-point underdogs against a struggling NFC East rival.