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The Giants didn’t hire former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to sit behind the scenes and let somebody else operate the scheme. Of course, Daboll had plenty of influence on the offense over the past two years, but he hasn’t been the one playing calls and using his gut to make decisions. That is what made Daboll such an exciting head coaching candidate when the Giants interviewed him: his ability to read and react accordingly, producing offensive firepower.
Giants’ Expectations vs. Reality: Daniel Jones and Daboll
In the end, Daboll was expected to elevate and enhance the performance of Daniel Jones, but after an exciting playoff appearance in 2022, the Giants fell back down to earth last year, watching Jones suffer a torn ACL and essentially building the narrative that they needed a major change at quarterback.
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Draft Decisions and Team Building
Unfortunately, the Giants were unable to land a star passer in the draft, opting to select Malik Nabers 6th overall, a talented young receiver who could end up becoming one of the best in football with some development.
Daboll’s Play-Calling and Leadership
Daboll has plenty of fire to get the job done; it’s a matter of calling the right plays and making the right decisions when the opportunities present themselves. Former Giants quarterback Matt Barkley recently spoke about Daboll’s capabilities as a play-caller and what makes him so special.
“He’s brilliant,” said quarterback Matt Barkley, via Dan Duggan of The Athletic. “He fits his offense to work with whoever he’s got. He’s really incredible in that regard. I can’t overstate how much he just gets ball. He’s all ball, all day.”
Daboll was hired to be the mastermind on offense, and the unit needs to live and die by his hand. If the Giants have another down season, Daboll will be on the hot seat, along with general manager Joe Schoen. There’s no telling whether they will survive another bad year, which is why the Giants’ head coach understands that he needs to have full control of an offense that needs to experience major improvements.
High Standards for the Upcoming Season
Minor progression cannot be the case this upcoming season, especially after watching two dominant offenses go head-to-head on Thursday night, the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. That type of electrifying performance and what looked like midseason football in Week 1 must be something the Giants aspire to achieve.
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“As a play caller, it’s personal,” Daboll told The Athletic. “You have to put a tremendous amount of time into it — over and over and over again throughout the week and call games in your head and go back. You have to be prepared well enough to where you’re not second-guessing it.”
Improving the Offensive Line
Last season, the Giants ranked ahead of the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers in points per game, averaging 15.6. They were one of the league’s worst offenses and had the worst offensive line in football, but the Giants have invested heavily in correcting that unit.
They signed Jon Runyan to a three-year, $30 million deal, Jermaine Eluemunor to a two-year, $14 million deal, and brought in Greg Van Roten to smooth things over at right guard. They have a bit more depth than they’ve had in the past, but the Giants still have a lot to prove, and quality on paper has often been a mirage due to poor coaching and injury concerns.
Maximizing Daniel Jones’ Potential
Daboll has a better offensive line on paper and a superstar-caliber rookie receiver in Nabers, so it ultimately boils down to his ability to maximize Jones, who has the tangible tools to be a solid quarterback, but his mental decision-making is often compromised in critical moments.
Brian Daboll was brought in to transform the Giants’ offense, leveraging his play-calling expertise and leadership to elevate the team. While there have been setbacks, including injuries and inconsistent performances, the Giants have made significant investments to support Daboll’s vision.
When all is said and done, this is Daboll’s unit; he needs to have full control, and it must succeed because of his ideas and concepts. Mike Kafka has essentially been put in a support role, taking responsibility from him and more-so asking for his advice but not necessarily using it.
