Against the Kansas City Chiefs, Russell Wilson couldn’t have looked less like his Week 2 self who hung 450 yards and three touchdowns on the Dallas Cowboys.
The New York Giants quarterback went 18-for-32 for 160 yards and two interceptions in the 22-9 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday night. After his second pick near the end of the first half, fans at MetLife Stadium could be heard chanting, “We want Dart.”
Fans eventually got their wish — for three snaps.
Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ 25th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, checked in for an RPO play in the third quarter, keeping the ball and scrambling for 3 yards. He also entered for two snaps in the fourth quarter, both handoffs to Cam Skattebo. The first picked up 9 yards to set up a first down at the 12-yard line; the second handoff gained 3 yards.
Malik Nabers also had a quiet night, catching two passes for 13 yards. However, rookie running back Cam Skattebo caught for 61 yards and added 60 yards and a score on the ground.
The Giants were without primary kicker Graham Gano, who was listed as questionable ahead of the game with a groin injury, for most of the contest. He returned in the fourth quarter, capping off a Giants drive with a 25-yard field goal to bring New York within a score, 16-9.
With less than a minute to play in the first half, Giants punter Jamie Gillan’s field-goal attempt was blocked by Chiefs linebacker Ashton Gillotte to keep the score knotted at six. It kept the Week 3 block party going after three kicks were blocked in the final two minutes of three separate games — with two of those blocks swaying the final result — in the early Sunday slate.
The win is the Chiefs’ first of the season, improving to 1-2. Meanwhile, the Giants remain winless at 0-3.
Wilson flounders
Following a near-record Week 2 performance, Wilson couldn’t offer a repeat as the Giants offense struggled to get anything going. Even in his highlights, he managed to take a step backward. Wilson had a deep fourth-and-5 completion to Wan’Dale Robinson late in the fourth quarter. However, on the following play, Wilson was given an intentional grounding penalty.
The lone bright spot in the Giants offense came from Skattebo, who powered through contact for 60 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. He also added 61 yards on six receptions. — Charlotte Carroll, Giants beat writer
Is it Dart time?
Wilson managed to stave off starter questions with his near record performance last week in Dallas, but after another stagnant offensive showing, the noise for switching to Dart could start to build once more. As we heard, fans weren’t happy to see Dart leave the field after he came in for a few snaps once more. The home crowd excitedly cheered when he entered the game and booed as he headed back to the sidelines after a rep. It’s going to be a difficult needle to thread for the coaching staff. — Carroll
Kicking throws a wrench in Giants’ plans
Giants fans might have had a sense of deja vu to start the game as the kicking situation once again cost them big. Last year, Gano sustained a hamstring injury on the opening kickoff in Week 2, setting up the Giants for a struggle in the kicking game. It may be Week 3, but it looked similar.
Just ahead of kickoff, Gano was ruled questionable with a groin injury. He sat out the entire first half, only coming in the fourth quarter to attempt a 25-yard field goal, which he made. However, the injury situation clearly disrupted the game plan, with the limitation making itself apparent early. On the Giants’ first offensive possession, the team reached the Chiefs’ 28-yard line on fourth-and-3. Instead of opting for the “easy” field-goal points, Wilson and the offense remained on the field. The Giants couldn’t convert, turning the ball over on downs. — Carroll
(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
Source link
