A career-best in single-game passing yards: Wilson went 30-of-41 for a career-high 451 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 123.1 passer rating — good for fifth among qualifying quarterbacks who have completed Week 2 action so far.
This wasn’t classic, backyard Russell Wilson: His average time to throw was just 2.55 seconds — one of the lowest marks of his career. For context: Of Wilson’s 15 career games with a passing grade of 90.0 or higher, 13 came with an average time to throw above 2.60 seconds. Only two, including this one, were posted with a time to throw below 2.55.
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A week after a disastrous showing against the Washington Commanders — one that drew boos, criticism and calls for his benching after just one game in his new uniform — Russell Wilson turned back the clock in a near-upset thriller against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
Wilson went 30-of-41 for a career-high 451 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 123.1 passer rating — good for fifth among qualifying quarterbacks who have completed Week 2 action so far. That number could have climbed even higher, too. Three of Wilson’s passes were dropped, costing him an additional 17 potential yards through the air.
Unfortunately, the one misstep — a lobbed interception in overtime — proved fatal, handing the ball back to the Cowboys and setting up Brandon Aubrey for the game-winning field goal. It was one too many attempts at hero ball.
But on a day when hero ball was working, Wilson reminded everyone why he was once among the most feared quarterbacks in the game.
Russell Wilson: Highest single-game passing grades since 2012
Season Week Opposition PFF Passing grade Big-time throws
2018 Wk. 8 @ Lions 98.1 4
2019 Wk. 5 vs Rams 96.4 5
2012 Wk. 16 vs 49ers 95.9 3
2013 Wk. 11 vs Vikings 94.9 5
2016 Wk. 9 vs Bills 93.2 5
2025 Wk. 2 @ Cowboys 93 .0* 5
2021 Wk. 5 vs Rams 92.3 5
2015 Wk. 14 @ Ravens 91.8 3
2017 Wk. 4 vs Colts 91.5 5
2020 Wk. 1 @ Falcons 91.5 3
* Subject to PFF's All-22 review
Wilson earned a 93.0 passing grade on first review, which would mark his best single-game grade since Week 5 of the 2021 season (92.3). It would also be the sixth-highest single-game passing grade of an illustrious career defined by deep shots, creative magic and a desire to go for the kill shot.
And it was his deep-ball prowess that stood out in Week 2. Wilson produced a 14.1-yard average depth of target — nearly double Dak Prescott’s 7.4 — and threw at or past the first-down marker on more than half of those attempts (51.2%). A staggering 76.3% of his passing yards came through the air rather than after the catch.
But this wasn’t classic, backyard Russell Wilson. It was refined, calculated aggression. His average time to throw was just 2.55 seconds — one of the lowest marks of his career. For context: Of Wilson’s 15 career games with a passing grade of 90.0 or higher, 13 came with an average time to throw above 2.60 seconds. Only two, including this one, were posted with a time to throw below 2.55.
Wilson attempted 41 passes. Of those, 18 traveled at least 10 yards in the air, and 11 went 20 or more. He completed seven of those 20-plus-yard attempts for 264 yards, three touchdowns and the game-ending pick — a 63.6% completion rate on deep shots.
He also went 12-of-18 (66.7%) for 332 yards on throws of 10 or more yards downfield. And he tied a personal best with five big-time throws — a reminder that, when he's locked in, few quarterbacks can match Wilson's ability to deliver jaw-dropping plays.
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One of the biggest storylines from Wilson’s debut was the relentless pressure he faced behind a shaky offensive line. He was pressured on 39.2% of his dropbacks (20 of 51) and averaged 2.76 seconds to throw — a recipe for chaos that showed in his disjointed performance.
This week was a different story.
Wilson faced pressure on just 10 of his 46 dropbacks (21.7%), giving him a far more stable platform to operate from.
This wasn’t just a solid bounce-back. This was a flash of the elite play that once made Wilson a perennial MVP candidate and perhaps a sign that he still has that gear when everything aligns.