After the Russell Wilson-led Giants offense failed to score a touchdown in their Week 1 opener, the knives were out for the veteran quarterback.
With first-round rookie Jaxson Dart waiting in the wings, was now the time to bench the Super Bowl champion Wilson in favor of a green signal-caller?
Giants coach Brian Daboll quickly threw cold water on that idea, telling reporters Monday that Wilson will start Sunday's Week 2 game against the Cowboys.
It sounds like Wilson could hold onto the starting position for a little while longer, too.
New York doesn't want to be reactionary in their handling of the quarterback room and are "trying to be patient" with Wilson, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning.
"However -- and this is a big however -- everyone knows Jaxson Dart is coming, perhaps sooner rather than later," Rapoport added.
As in Week 1, the Giants have a package of plays for Dart that they could utilize against Dallas. Dart did not see a snap against the Washington Commanders in the opener despite the availability of such a package.
"Once he gets in there, if he has success, it is all up in the air," Rapoport said of Dart, "because simply he could just stay in."
Wilson completed just 45.9% of his passes in New York's 21-6 loss to Washington in the season opener, throwing for 168 yards and taking two sacks. His 59.3 passer rating was the worst Week 1 passer rating of his career. The veteran QB attempted just one deep pass against Washington, per Next Gen Stats, despite ranking as one of the game's best deep passers last season.
With Wilson at the helm, Big Blue's woes in season openers continued, as the Giants failed to score a TD in their third straight Week 1 game. So, while such a performance from a Giants QB isn't an anomaly, it's not encouraging either.
If Dart was to enter the fray as a starter in the next two weeks, it would be out of the ordinary. No QB drafted in the back half of the first round has started a game in the first four weeks of rookie season since Teddy Bridgewater for the Vikings in 2014, per NFL Research.
But given Dart's stellar preseason and the pressure on Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen to deliver, the QB could see the field in short order if Wilson and the offense's struggles continue.
The Giants kick off against Dallas from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 1 p.m. ET.
After that, New York face three 2024 playoff teams in four weeks before a mini-bye ahead of Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, at New Orleans Saints, vs. Philadelphia Eagles.
