Former NFL coach, player give QB advice to Giants after Commanders debacle

The New York Giants failed to score a touchdown in a season opener for the third straight year as they suffered a 21-6 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon. 

During Monday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, former NFL head coach Rex Ryan campaigned for Giants head coach Brian Daboll to bench starting quarterback Russell Wilson in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart ahead of New York's Week 2 game at the 0-1 Dallas Cowboys this coming Sunday. 

Rex Ryan has seen enough of Russell Wilson

"You’ve got to put [Dart] in because Russell Wilson can’t play anymore, and I don’t know what the hell you’re doing with him," Ryan said about the situation, per Justin Tasch of the New York Post. "There’s never an easy time [to start a rookie QB]. Everybody has good players. What are you afraid of? Is it gonna be worse? Hell no. Put him out there, let him go, let him ride and let’s see."

Dan Duggan of The Athletic and others have noted that Wilson was routinely betrayed by a suspect offensive line throughout Sunday's game. That said, the 36-year-old also largely resembled the quarterback who flopped with the Denver Broncos and over his final five starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers against Washington. 

In total, Wilson completed 17-of-37 passes for 168 yards against the Commanders as the Giants scored on only a pair of field goals. Meanwhile, some believed in August that Dart was the best quarterback on the New York roster after he completed 32-of-47 pass attempts for 372 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions during the preseason. He also rushed for 52 yards and an additional score on six carries over those outings. 

"I think the kid’s got talent," Ryan added about Dart. "He looked really good — he outplayed Russell Wilson head and shoulders in the preseason. Put him in there. What are you doing? You’re gonna play a guy that can’t do it anymore? Stop." 

Why former player agrees that New York Giants need to make Jaxson Dart move

Second-year Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers generated headlines when he made it clear during the first half of Sunday's defeat that he felt the team's "energy wasn't right." Former NFL offensive lineman and current analyst Damien Woody believes Nabers' actions show that Daboll needs to turn to Dart this week. 

"One week was enough for me," Woody said about the Giants playing Wilson over Dart. "Anytime your superstar wide receiver Malik Nabers is losing it, Week 1, during the game, Malik Nabers is losing it, and if you lose that guy, the one legitimate talent that you have on the offensive side of the ball, you lose him, you have major problems."

As of late Monday morning, Daboll hadn't confirmed whether Wilson or Dart will start at the Cowboys. For what it's worth, the Giants host the Kansas City Chiefs for a Week 3 "Sunday Night Football" game on Sept. 21. Perhaps Daboll won't want to make a quarterback change until the club begins preparing for its home opener next week.