Russell Wilson Was Proving His Critics Wrong. Then It All Went Wrong.

After spending nan erstwhile week proceeding calls for his job, New York Giants backmost Russell Wilson was issuing a spectacular rebuttal Sunday successful Dallas.

Then, while closing retired an overtime loss, Wilson added moreover much substance to nan criticism.

As portion of a chaotic 4th fourth that saw nan Giants and Cowboys harvester for 41 points, nan 36-year-old Wilson looked for illustration he would play nan domiciled of leader conscionable 1 week aft his ineffectual 168-yard capacity successful a nonaccomplishment sparked discussions astir really agelong it mightiness return for New York to supplant Wilson connected nan extent floor plan and fto rookie backmost and caller first-round prime Jaxson Dart develop.

Dart did concisely play Sunday successful Dallas arsenic portion of a specialized package. The large astonishment was really powerfully Wilson was justifying New York’s determination to instrumentality pinch nan seasoned aft his caput coach, Brian Daboll, had initially been non-committal to keeping Wilson arsenic nan starter.

On his measurement to 450 passing yards against Dallas, conscionable 2 awkward of his profession high, Wilson threw his day’s 2nd touchdown pass, a 32-yarder to return a 30-27 lead pinch 2:44 remaining successful nan 4th quarter.

When Dallas answered astir 2 minutes later to spell ahead, 34-30, nan Giants sewage nan shot backmost pinch conscionable 52 seconds near to either people a touchdown aliases lose. Wilson’s abilities person fluctuated pinch age, and is nary longer nan move runner that helped Seattle erstwhile triumph a Super Bowl. But he tin still propulsion a heavy ball, arsenic he showed again connected what looked to beryllium nan game-winning onslaught pinch conscionable 25 seconds left, a 48-yard explosive he lofted complete 2 closing defenders into nan hands of Malik Nabers. It was nan sixth lead alteration of nan 4th fourth alone.

Yet nan crippled wasn’t over, headed to overtime alternatively aft Dallas moved into position for its prima kicker, Brandon Aubrey, to make a 64-yard section extremity to necktie arsenic clip expired successful regulation.

In overtime, Wilson completed his first 2 passes. Then began a agelong of plays that fig to reignite nan Dart discussion.

Wilson was sacked and fumbled retired of bounds erstwhile nan shot came loose arsenic he was throwing for a six-yard nonaccomplishment connected second-and-three. He past threw an incompletion to unit a New York punt.

When nan Giants sewage nan shot backmost again, each they needed was to summation astir 30 yards to get into section extremity range. But Wilson’s first walk of nan thrust mislaid 4 yards and his 2nd was a high-arcing walk thrown heavy to wherever he thought Nabers would be, moreover though Nabers was moving a way successful a different direction. The walk was intercepted, and Dallas won 4 plays later connected a section goal, 40-37.

It was nan Giants' ninth-consecutive nonaccomplishment to their NFC East section rival.

“I thought he played well, made immoderate plays, attacked definite things we wanted to onslaught that second-and-three it benignant of slipped retired of his manus and it pushed america backmost there,” New York coach Daboll told reporters erstwhile asked really he reacted to Wilson’s large 4th fourth pinch his struggles successful overtime.

Of nan interception, Daboll was circumspect, calling “that heavy changeable benignant of astatine nan end, nan communication, not a bad communication, conscionable connection … again, this one’s tough.”

For New York, which started nan play 0-2 for nan seventh clip successful nan past 9 years, nan reply isn’t truthful easy arsenic inserting Dart. Wilson had high-profile miscues, and a domiciled successful New York scoring connected conscionable 1 of their 5 trips wrong nan Dallas 20-yard line. Yet nan remainder of his squad was called for 14 penalties for 160 yards, arsenic well. And nan Giants person been successful nary hurry to displacement quarterbacks, ESPN reported, because it’s 1 point to commencement a rookie backmost but different point to protect him, and prima violative lineman Andrew Thomas remains sidelined by injury.

With a caller team, Wilson now faces a acquainted criticism. Speculation astir whether he is nan correct backmost for nan occupation ever since Seattle traded him to Denver successful 2022. Pronounced arsenic nan subordinate nan Broncos would build around, Wilson lasted only 30 games earlier Denver was truthful motivated to bench, and later release, him that it ate $85 cardinal successful his salary. Wilson moved connected to Pittsburgh, wherever his expertise to still propulsion a pristine heavy shot helped nan Steelers triumph 5 of his first six starts. But erstwhile they past mislaid their last 4 games of nan season, Wilson was backmost connected nan look for a caller employer who would judge successful him.

One of nan outstanding questions of Week 2 is really overmuch longer that belief successful Wilson remains successful New York.