Giants Weigh Russell Wilson‘s Future as Week 2 Looms After Offensive Struggles
East Rutherford, N.J. – The New York Giants are facing an early-season crossroads, with the performance of quarterback Russell Wilson under intense scrutiny following a Week 1 defeat and the potential for a swift shift to rookie Jaxson Dart if the offence continues to falter. A second consecutive loss to start the season could trigger a quarterback change, mirroring a similar situation in 2019 when Eli Manning was benched in favor of Daniel Jones after an 0-2 start.
The pressure is mounting as the Giants prepare for a prime-time home game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas city Chiefs in Week 3, a contest that could be played before a restless fanbase. Owner John Mara approved the move to bench Manning four years ago, and is likely to support a similar decision by current head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen to turn to Dart if deemed necessary.
Daboll expressed confidence in both Wilson and Dart, stating, “I have confidence in Russ, and we’re doing everything we can do each week to develop Jaxson.He spends a lot of time in the building. He spends a lot of time after practice going through things that he needs to go through to prepare himself to be ready if he gets called upon.”
The Giants installed a package of plays for Dart during the week of readiness for their opening game, but those plays were not utilized. Concerns remain about inserting Dart into a challenging situation with an overmatched offensive line and a struggling running game.
The decision to elevate Josh Allen to the starting role for the Buffalo Bills in 2018 after a 47-3 loss to the Ravens serves as a precedent for Daboll and Schoen, both of whom were with the Bills at the time.Wide receiver Sterling Shepard emphasized the need for improvement rather than drastic changes, saying, “Urgency doesn’t always mean ‘Oh, we have to fix this and fix that, change this and change that.’ no,sometiems you have the right people,you have the right things established…and it’s just a matter of people doing better.”
