Russell Wilson arrived in the Big Blue camp ready to embrace the quarterback competition with rookie Jaxson Dart. At first, it seemed like the perfect veteran-versus-young-gun battle the Giants needed. But when the team hit the field for a joint practice with the New York Jets on Tuesday, the atmosphere shifted. Wilson’s offense couldn’t find a rhythm, and every snap felt like he was climbing uphill.

It was a terrible day for him. He was a 2 of 5 and had to either scramble or dump the ball off. Instead, the second team looked better. Dart was 8 of 13 and throwing more downfield. Fox Sports reporter Ralph Vacchiano wrote in a tweet, “The first and second team Giants offenses looked much better in the final team drills. The protection issues are still pretty obvious though. Unofficial QB stats for the day: Russell Wilson: 5 for 10 Jaxson Dart: 11 for 17 (Wilson with/vs. the 1s, Dart with/vs. the 2s).”

And so, analyst Patrick Daugherty believes that the rookie QB is set to rise. In a preview for NBC Sports, he said, “We think Russ is going to start week one, of course, but Jackson Dart, per coach Brian Daboll, was efficient, effective, aggressive, and confident in his preseason debut. You know, sometimes they try to tear these rookies down instead of building them up. Daboll is going the opposite direction. The Giants media said he’s being unusually effusive in his praise. I mean, there’s no chance this is going to be week one, right? But it looks like it’s definitely going to be sooner than expected.”

Co-host Denny Carter responded: “It could be. There is some chatter among Giants’ beat writers that the week 1 pre-season performance put Dart on the map to start as soon as Russell Wilson struggles, and like you said earlier, we know he is going to struggle at some point this season.”

If that indeed turns out to be the case, then Dart completing 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown in his preseason debut against the Bills sounds promising. However, let us not lose perspective about what is yet to come. The Giants have a brutal early schedule, and no matter how good the rookie looks, it won’t be wise to break his confidence by pushing him in too soon. Realistically, Dart might not start until November or December.

Carter concluded: “Sooner rather than later for Dart as the starting quarterback for New York.”

Daugherty added, “Dart is a high variance prospect, but that’s true whether you start him in week one or week 10, it’s always earlier than expected. These guys, we expect the same thing with Mr. Jackson Dart.” Still, Wilson’s determination hasn’t faded—Big Blue’s veteran isn’t ready to hand over the keys just yet.

Russell Wilson isn’t letting go of the wheel!

While Dart has shown his rookie potential, Russell Wilson’s veteran experience matters. He opened the preseason clash against the Bills with a steady 12-play, 30-yard march that ended in a field goal, completing 6 of 7 passes for 28 yards. While Dart stepped in afterward to keep the offense rolling, Russell Wilson’s first points in Giants blue set the tone for his message—he is still here to compete.

And he made sure people noticed. “Restored,” he posted on Instagram after their 34-35 win. Was it a celebration or a warning shot to the rookie? For Russ, it was both. “I definitely wanted to play,” he told reporters after the game. “Anytime you get to be in the white lines, it’s a good thing. It’s a blessing.”

On the other hand, Dart isn’t just waiting for an opening—he is chasing it. The rookie admitted there is room to grow despite a strong showing. “There’s definitely moments where I feel like I did some good stuff, but I’m excited to look back on the tape and look at the things I can clean up,” he said about his performance. That mindset hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“He’s a confident young player,” Daboll said. “He’s improved since he’s been here. Still got a long way to go, but I enjoy working with him.” Wilson knows that the presence of a hungry rookie in the locker room adds a new edge. It’s competitive, but for now, it’s healthy.