The New York Giants’ dismal 2023 season got worse with Sunday’s 49-17 thrashing at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
The Giants are 2-8 and riding out the string with an undrafted rookie quarterback. Who lines up under center in 2024 is an increasingly hot topic as New York is tied for the second-fewest wins in the NFL, and the Giants have the highest percentage chance of winding up with the No. 1 pick in the draft, according to ESPN analytics.
Meanwhile, this season has continued to devolve, from quarterback Daniel Jones suffering a season-ending injury, to safety Xavier McKinney questioning the team’s leadership, to the previously solid defense getting torched for 640 total yards at Dallas.
“We should make no excuses about where we’re at,” coach Brian Daboll said Monday. “I own it. I own it. So, I’ve got to do a better job all the way around and that’s what we are going to work towards.”
What the Giants are capable of working towards is up for debate.
A Week 11 game at Washington is followed by a home game against New England. Following their bye week, the Giants play host to Green Bay before traveling to New Orleans. Those four teams have a combined 14-25 record, which on paper would present opportunities to show improvement.
However, with Jones and backup Tyrod Taylor injured, Daboll’s current options at quarterback are Tommy DeVito and recently signed journeyman Matt Barkley.
As the losses have continued to mount — and get uglier by the week — Daboll has come under increased scrutiny despite leading the Giants to the playoffs last year in his first season as a head coach.
“Look, I believe in our process, I believe in what we do. Certainly we have to do it better and that’s what we’re all trying to do,” said Daboll, the 2022 NFL Coach of the Year.
“You make no excuses about it. We are at where we are at and that’s where we’re meant to be right now, relative to what we’ve done. So, you don’t feel sorry for yourself, you go about it with the right mindset and your head down. You work as hard as you can work, you prepare as hard you can prepare. You teach, you work, you practice, you do the necessary things you need to do to give yourself a chance and you move on to the next week.
“So, you are real about where you are at, this is where we are at, but we control our actions, our attitudes, our emotions, our approach. That’s what we can focus on.”
–Field Level Media