Russell Wilson Says Giants' Focus on Now is Key to Overcoming Challenging Schedule

“We are having a good time in phase two (of the offseason program), about to go into phase three (OTAs), and the only way to win a bunch of games is to focus on right now,” Wilson stated. 

“That’s always the case during the season. We’re looking forward to the opportunity of playing, we are looking forward to the opportunity of competing against all these really good teams.”

Adam Schefter specifically asked Wilson about the start of the season and how Wilson felt about back-to-back road division games to start the season against Washington and Dallas, before coming home to welcome in Kansas City, the AFC representative in the Super Bowl last season.  

“The thing about this division is that there are a lot of talented teams. There are a lot of great football teams, but we’ve got to bring our best every week, and I think the only way to do that is to focus on right now,” Wilson said. 

“The opportunity in front of us is a tough, uphill battle, but at the end of the day, we’re willing to climb it, we’re willing to face all the challenges, and for me personally, I’ve been in some tough divisions before, I don’t fear it.”

Wilson also discussed what it was like to play against tough competition in one’s division and how competitors are always looking forward to accepting the challenges that come with playing the best teams. 

He also mentioned that their success in the 2025 season could hinge on the work they can do now.

“I’m playing in the NFC West back in the day, I remember coming in earlier in my career and playing some of those 49ers defenses and different teams we had to play and the opponents, the challenges, and the big moments,” Wilson said. 

“You know, if you are a competitor, you don’t want it any other way. I wanna play the best and to be the best, you have to beat the best and do everything you can. So what we are seeking is a tough task, but it’s possible. So I think the best thing we can do, how we make it possible, is we have to do the work right now.”

Wilson believes this team has the pieces to be competitive even with this schedule. He spoke glowingly about Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson as young talents. 

He mentioned how good the running back room was and how all the backs could do the job. He also discussed what he loved so much about Malik Nabers. 

“What I love about him (Nabers), he can make every freakin play,” Wilson said with a big smile on his face. 

“This guy's a rockstar! He can catch a screen like he did against Indy and take it to the house. He can make people miss, and his ability to make contested catches in one-on-one, down the field, in the quick game, all of the things he can do.”

Wilson also gave flowers to the defensive line and their pass rush since he experienced it firsthand last season when he was the quarterback in Pittsburgh. 

“I had to go against these guys last year, the pass rush is real, I mean, when you think about Dexter Lawrence–Sexy Dexy–rushing the passer, he’s hard to block. It takes two or three guys to block him,” Wilson said. 

“Obviously (Brian) Burns coming off the edge, Thibs coming off the edge, the playmakers that we have, and the addition of Abdul Carter and who he is as a player and what he was able to do in college.”

He mentioned that all the teams that have found success previously have dynamic and dominant defensive lines, and he believes that the defensive line here with the Giants can change the game. 

He talked about looking forward to watching them cause havoc on the quarterback and give the offense a short field to work with. 

That can be a formula for success; they are trying to work on it right now. Put points on the board that allow the defense to unleash the pass rush, and then give the ball back to the offense with a short field to score more.

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