Russell Wilson insists he isn’t rattled by the presence of first-round pick Jaxson Dart waiting behind him on the New York Giants’ depth chart.
Asked Wednesday about growing calls for Dart to take over after a sluggish Week 1 loss to Washington, Wilson said he isn’t affected by the noise.
“I think that you embrace challenge. I don’t think I run from challenges. I don’t think I run from anything,” Wilson said. “My confidence never blinks. I’ve been through everything — the highest highs and some lows. But my confidence never wavers, and that comes from experience and the work.”
The Giants’ opener offered little of the preseason buzz surrounding the team. New York managed just six points in a 21-6 defeat, averaging 3.7 yards per play and converting 5 of 18 combined third- and fourth-down attempts. Wilson completed under 50% of his passes and was also the team’s leading rusher, underscoring just how broken the offense looked without injured left tackle Andrew Thomas.
Wilson admitted he didn’t “play good enough” and put much of the blame on missed opportunities in the red zone. “We had the ball on the one. We’ve got to score,” Wilson said. “That’s the biggest part of the game. We had two opportunities down there and didn’t get it done.”
Head coach Brian Daboll declined to immediately commit to Wilson as the starter after the loss, fueling speculation about whether Dart’s chance could come sooner rather than later. Wilson brushed aside any notion that he worried about Daboll’s wording.
“No, I don’t wonder that,” Wilson said. “I don’t look into syntax and diction. I’m grateful to be the quarterback here, grateful to lead these guys every day. That’s my mentality.”
Wilson also defended rookie receiver Malik Nabers, who was caught in a heated sideline exchange with Daboll during the game. “We’re competitive individuals. This isn’t always high fives and smiles,” Wilson said. “Nabs is a great competitor. He competed his butt off, and he’s a great teammate.”
Looking ahead, Wilson emphasized that the Giants can’t afford to dwell on the opener with a divisional showdown at Dallas looming in Week 2. “It’s a 17-round fight and we’ve got to go win round two,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to have amnesia. Real winners, if you lose a tough one, you’re able to wipe the slate and get back to work.”
For now, Wilson remains QB1 — but the urgency is clear. The Giants’ offense must find answers quickly, or the calls for Dart will only get louder.
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