Giants Q&A: Brian Daboll feels your pain, fans
Giants head coach Brian Daboll looks on during the second half against the Seahawks at MetLife Stadium on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
How did the Giants feel about Seahawks fans taking over their stadium in the waning minutes after Giants fans left, the same thing that happened in the opener against the Cowboys?
“I’d be upset, too, if I was a fan,” coach Brian Daboll said. “There are a lot of things we have to do better, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Why did the Giants run the ball on a third-and-11 at their own 24-yard line with more than a minute left in the first half, trailing 14-3?
Giants fans had plenty of opportunities to boo on Sunday night, but one of the loudest came in response to Matt Breida running 4 yards on third-and-11, followed by a punt.
Turns out that was not the plan. Daboll said after the game that a pass play had been called but that the message somehow got crossed up.
“That was a miscommunication,” Daboll said. “Daniel [Jones] thought he heard one thing and it was another thing. Miscommunication.”
Speaking of miscommunication, what was Daboll saying to Jones on the sideline after Jones threw a 97-yard pick-6 in the third quarter?
“I was trying to show him, see what he thought and tell him what I saw,” Daboll said.
What would the coach have preferred Jones do there? “Obviously not throw an interception,” he said.
Was Daboll concerned about all of the pushing and shoving that followed whistles?
Yes, he was.
“Certainly not something we want to do,” he said. “You talk about it, you coach it and ultimately they have to go out there and do it in the heat of the moment. We’ll work on that and fix it.”
How did the offensive line feel about a tough night that included allowing 11 sacks?
Not good.
“Obviously it [stinks], especially being a competitor at this level, of course it [stinks],” tackle Evan Neal said. “We have to play better ball. There is no excuse for how we performed. We’re a lot better than what we’ve been showing.”
Getting left tackle Andrew Thomas back from an injury would help.
“I can’t wait till A.T. gets back,” Neal said. “Having him definitely gives us a major boost. Whenever he’s ready, he’s going to be back.”
Is the team still confident it can turn things around?
Kayvon Thibodeaux believes. “We have 13 games left,” he said. “There’s a chance we go 13-0. Who knows?”
Are the Giants concerned about the outside voices they increasingly are hearing doubting they can turn the season around?
“It doesn’t matter what the outside people are saying,” Xavier McKinney said. “It doesn’t matter what the fans say. It doesn’t matter what other players say. We care about what’s in this locker room. We believe in what’s in this locker room . . . It’s always been us versus everybody else, and that’s what it’s going to be.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
