The New York Giants walked into Week 1 with optimism, but Washington slammed the door shut on those hopes in brutal fashion.
A 21–6 loss left New York flat, lifeless, and facing serious questions about their offense — especially at quarterback.
Brian Daboll walks a fine line with Russell Wilson
After the game, Brian Daboll faced a wave of questions regarding Russell Wilson’s future as the Giants’ starting quarterback.
Instead of providing clarity, Daboll delivered contradictory remarks — backing Wilson while acknowledging the offense’s complete inability to produce points.
“I have confidence in Russell Wilson,” Daboll told reporters. “This game isn’t on Russell Wilson. It’s not on Russell Wilson.”
Yet he quickly pivoted, admitting, “We’ve got to do a better job on the offensive side of the football. Six points isn’t enough.”
It was a classic coach’s tightrope — shielding his veteran while planting seeds of accountability for a unit that looked overwhelmed.
Offensive line exposes the offense’s flaws
The Giants’ offensive line was overwhelmed from the opening snap, turning the offense into a broken machine that never found rhythm.
Wilson was pressured relentlessly as the Giants gave up multiple quarterback hits, collapsing both run blocking and pass protection in unison.
John Michael-Schmitz, expected to anchor the line and take steps forward, looked raw and underdeveloped (again), his struggles magnified by Washington’s aggressive interior rushers.
Veteran guard Greg Van Roten played like a man at the end of the road, unable to keep up with younger competition.
Meanwhile, Jon Runyan, signed to a three-year, $30 million deal in 2024, once again disappointed, failing to provide the stability promised.
We don’t even need to discuss backup left tackle James Hudson…he was a disaster.
When a quarterback is constantly under siege, evaluating his performance becomes nearly impossible — Wilson was playing from the shadows, not the pocket.
A ticking clock on Russell Wilson
Despite Daboll’s public confidence, the writing on the wall is getting harder to ignore as the Giants move into Week 2.
The Cowboys’ defense will present a tough test, giving Wilson perhaps his final chance to stabilize the offense.
If the struggles continue, the door opens for rookie Jaxson Dart, whose name already buzzes among fans eager for change.
Big Blue drafted Dart with the vision of him leading the franchise forward, and patience will not last forever if losing continues.
It feels likely Wilson gets one more week to show command, with Kansas City looming as a possible transition point in Week 3.
The bigger problem beyond quarterback
Still, pinning this loss solely on Wilson would be lazy — the offensive line remains the Giants’ most glaring weakness.
No scheme or quarterback can survive behind collapsing protection, and until that unit improves, the ceiling for this team is capped.
The Giants invested heavily across the roster, but without a stable offensive line, the offense remains fragile and easily broken.
Daboll’s words may protect his quarterback for now, but if the foundation doesn’t hold, no signal-caller will survive in New York.