EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — This wasn’t Joe Judge’s infamous 11-minute rant at the end of the 2021 season. But according to Brian Daboll at a press conference, the New York Giants head coach was unusually generous after the Giants ended a 10-game losing streak with a 45-33 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Daboll, who usually mumbles monosyllabic answers after games, was full of praise for his team’s character and work ethic Sunday. Like Judge’s epic rant three years ago, Daboll’s message seemed meant to be heard by bosses who will decide his fate after next week’s season finale.
“I have full confidence in the people we have in the building and how they operate,” Daboll said. “Obviously, not the results but the recovery from injuries, which are pretty good injuries, and they’ll get back to performing at the end of the year. I’ve been in some other teams too – it’s a credit to the coaches, they Fighting with the players who are injured, the players who are coming back, the players who are playing, the players who are working hard every day, coming out early and having extra meetings in December.
Judge’s impassioned monologue backfired, and he was fired 10 days later after a 4-13 record in his second season. Daboll avoided a Judge-like upset, but it remains to be seen whether the owner will hear his message about keeping the team working hard to get results like Sunday’s, when the offense’s outburst prevented the Giants from playing for the first time in 50 years. A winless season at home.
John Mara had no news after the game and continued his weekly routine, declining to comment when approached by reporters. But Mara made it clear in October that he didn’t want to clean up any more, so Daboll will need to take every opportunity to convince his boss of the value of continuity.
“We believe there’s a process and they’ve been working hard through it,” Daboll said. “I’m just happy they put a smile on their face and got the win. I’m proud of the guys. In some of the games we lost , I’m proud of them. We just have to keep working hard to overcome it.
A theme of Daboll’s press conference was the importance of “good quarterback play.” Daboll was hired three years ago in large part because of his efforts to develop Bills quarterback Josh Allen from a rookie into a perennial MVP candidate.
Daboll won the NFL Coach of the Year award in his first season in New York, leading Daniel Jones to the best season of his career. That magic disappeared after the Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract. Jones was released in November after two dismal seasons.
Backups Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle performed even worse, leaving the Giants last in the league in scoring this season with Daboll serving as the play-caller. But that changed Sunday, as Lock completed 17 of 23 passes for 309 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Lock added another rushing touchdown to help the Giants score their most points since 2015.
“I think if you have good quarterback play, you have a chance in every game,” Daboll said.
Drew Lock runs it
📺：Fox pic.twitter.com/5m2v3z0zWd
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 29, 2024
Daboll’s comments about the need for better quarterback play came at the same time as reports highlighted that coach and general manager Joe Schoen were not a package deal. It’s an interesting question because while the Giants have assembled a horrific quarterback room following Daboll’s make-or-break season, the general manager’s job security appears to be more stable.
Ironically, Lock’s performance hindered Daboll’s chances of landing a top quarterback in the draft when he returns for a fourth season. If the Giants lose their final two games, they’ll be guaranteed the No. 1 pick, allowing them to choose between top quarterbacks Shaddell Sanders and Cam Ward in the draft.
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The win pushed the Giants to the fourth spot in the draft with just one week remaining. Finding a quarterback from this position will be trickier, but Daboll can only focus on now.
“That’s the way the offense needs to play,” Daboll said. “That’s how the quarterback needs to perform. So when you do that and win turnover margin, you have a chance to score and win.
However, Daboll’s poor quarterback play doesn’t absolve him of responsibility. His team didn’t score more than 30 points until Week 17, a stain on his reputation as the so-called quarterback whisperer.
“It’s not an easy position to play,” Daboll said. “Look, we all have to do better. You can put it on me.
The 3-13 Giants have one game remaining against the Eagles, who have nothing to show for in the finals after clinching the NFC East title and second seed in the NFC. The outcome of this game, which will likely be against Philadelphia’s bench, shouldn’t impact the team owner’s decision on the futures of Daboll and Schoen. But that will only help Daboll if he can perform well again before the front office meets to decide his fate. On Sunday, he assured everyone that despite the dismal record, he saw a hopeful sign.
“I see these coaches come in every day and be consistent,” Daboll said. “It’s hard to be consistent in an unstable league when things happen – it’s not good. We don’t have a good record. I strongly acknowledge that and take responsibility for it. But they are committed to doing it the right way. Doing things, day in and day out, staying up late and making plans, just like the players when we were down, and we got two wins – we had the right people.
Here are more takeaways from Sunday’s win:
no exit
Sunday’s result should dispel any notion that the Giants are in trouble during their ten-game losing streak. The Giants are just that bad.
The reality is that it’s hard for NFL teams to lose every Even though the Giants have looked easy at times this season, week in and week out. Performances like Sunday’s are inevitable. At some point, a player as talented as rookie wide receiver Malik Nabors will have a breakout season, as evidenced by his seven catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Nabors remains in the starting lineup, although Daboll described his toe injury as “pretty good,” which makes him questionable. Competition at Nabors is fierce, but there are also personal achievements to pursue. After Sunday’s monster performance, he finished the season with 104 catches and 1,140 yards.
Outside linebacker Brian Burns has been injured all season, but he continued to play hard Sunday. He finished with three tackles for a loss and forced an interception by Colts quarterback Joe Flacco by cornerback Dru Phillips that sealed the game.
The car’s INT!
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— New York Giants (@Giants) December 29, 2024
Burns’ fighting spirit was demonstrated when he chased down Colts running back Jonathan Taylor on third-and-1 from the Giants’ 23-yard line midway through the third quarter. Burns’ pursuit resulted in Taylor going out of bounds and returning without success. The Giants stuffed Taylor on the next play, forcing a key turnover.
This effort confirms that players will never be in trouble for draft picks.
“This isn’t basketball; this isn’t basketball.” This isn’t golf; this isn’t tennis – in football, you get hit. I’m not going to let people kick the ball over me just to tank,” said wide receiver Darius Slayton, who caught a 32-yard touchdown pass on Sunday. “At the end of the day, we’re always trying to win. I think today showed that fight.
While players and coaches give it their all every week, the impact of Sunday’s victory cannot be ignored. The Giants had three wins last season under DeVito, which cost them the chance to draft Jaden Daniels or Derek Meyer.
Whether Sanders and Ward are on the same level as these quarterbacks is up for debate, but the prospect of a No. 1 pick is the light at the end of the tunnel in this miserable season. Just don’t expect players to feel as bitter as fans about Sunday’s win hurting the team’s draft position.
“I don’t believe in (Tank) at all,” tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said. “I understand, in the eyes of fans, when you have a losing season, the best thing to do is keep losing so you can gain draft position. But then you start to create a culture of losing, and that’s not what you want. Do. That’s why you have a general manager and you have all the scouts to help you find the guys you want in the draft.
Good Nabors
Look at the bright side of potentially missing out on a top quarterback prospect: Nabors might be so talented that he doesn’t need an elite quarterback. The sixth overall pick in this year’s draft had the best game of his career on Sunday, showing off the yards-after-the-catch ability that made him a star at LSU.
Nabors did most of the work with two touchdowns. In the first quarter, he took a screen from Lock, broke through the interception, and rushed 31 yards to score. Oddly enough, the Giants didn’t target Nabors on their first three possessions of the second half, but they wisely kept him involved early in the fourth quarter. Nabors caught a simple arc route, beat two defenders and outran them all for a 59-yard touchdown.
LEEEEK 59 yard touchdown
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— New York Giants (@Giants) December 29, 2024
Nabors made a 34-yard leaping grab on a low dropback and a pinpoint 19-yard catch on a back-shoulder dropback for Locke’s 5-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter The run laid the foundation.
“What a beast,” Locke said. “He’s going to be good for a long time.”
Rookie running back Tyrone Tracy contributed to the explosive offense, capping a 40-yard run in the first quarter with a quality block. The rest of the day was a rough sled for Tracy, who finished with 20 carries for 59 yards.
Tracy increased his rushing total to 780 yards and his receiving total to 277 yards. This gave him 1,057 yards from scrimmage, making Tracy and Nabors the third rookie teammates in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
ground
The cloudy weather saved Mara from the embarrassment of a plane flying over the stadium, carrying status information for the team’s third consecutive home game. Disgusted fans reportedly ordered three different banners, including one with a message imploring Mara to “clean house or sell the team.” The planes were grounded Sunday, but weather permitting, they will likely be flying in Philadelphia next week.
(Photo: Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
