ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 14: New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) heaves the football downfield for an incompletion during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants on September 14, 2025 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In their season-opening loss to the Washington Commanders, the New York Giants did not see enough from Russell Wilson for head coach Brian Daboll to even commit to Wilson as his week 2 starter at quarterback.
While Sunday’s 40-37 loss to the Dallas Cowboys shared some characteristics with New York’s Week 1 defeat — notably, the offensive line leaks and difficulty stopping the run among them — it would take the most negative of observers to lay blame for this loss at Wilson’s feet. Not that Wilson would listen, anyway.
“I know how talented I am. I know what I’m capable of,” Wilson told reporters following a loss in which he threw for 450 yards and 3 touchdowns. “I don’t need someone to convince me of that. I don’t need outside praise or criticism to convince me of what I’m capable of.”
What Wilson was capable of was finding his receivers all afternoon on deep throws, the so-called moon balls that Giants fans hadn’t seen from a quarterback in many years. He did it despite an offensive line that was once again missing Andrew Thomas, while James Hudson, pressed into service, was benched after committing four penalties on New York’s opening drive.
By the following drive, he’d been replaced by fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow. Wilson was sacked only three times, but whether that reflected an improvement on the offensive line or a Dallas pass rush that needed help to the point the Cowboys signed Jadeveon Clowney right after the game will only become clear in the weeks ahead.
Nevertheless, Russell not only found his top receiver, Malik Nabers, for 9 catches and 167 yards, he turned vintage slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson into a long threat as well, with Robinson finishing at 8 catches, 142 yards. The Giants hadn’t had a game with two 100-yard receivers or with more than 500 total yards since before COVID.
“Obviously coming out of college, I’ve been down the field and doing things like that and obviously just waiting for my opportunity to showcase here,” Robinson told reporters Monday. “Yesterday was that day. From the moment that Russ got here, he was like, ‘Dude, I know you can get down the field. I’ve seen it.’ We worked out together and he was like, ‘I didn’t even know you could run that well just from watching the tape from previous games.’ So, he was like, ‘We’re going to make sure that this gets going.’”
The entire afternoon offered fuel for optimism and pessimism. Yes, 506 total yards, but 478 yards allowed. Yes, consistent pressure on Dak Prescott all day, but 4.8 yards per rush and 2 touchdowns allowed to the Cowboys. Yes, signs of life from rookie running back Cam Skattebo, but little from Tyrone Tracey or Devin Singletary.
Wherever one landed on these indicators, the result was no different from Week 1. It’s another in-division loss. As Daboll said: “This one hurt.”
The good news is, now the New York Giants get to return home for the first time this season, and take on an 0-2 team. The bad news is, that 0-2 team is the Kansas City Chiefs.