EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — As Brian Daboll continues his coaching journey with the New York Giants, the pressure mounts as the team cannot afford further humiliating defeats. This reality hit hard on Sunday when Saquon Barkley made his return to MetLife Stadium, marking his first match against the team that selected him second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Barkley powered the Philadelphia Eagles to a decisive 28-3 victory over the Giants.
With this loss, the Giants now hold a record of 2-5, mirroring their position at this time last year. The matchup had been eagerly anticipated by fans since the NFL schedule was unveiled, yet it turned out to be an unfortunate remembrance for the Giants. Barkley had an outstanding performance, rushing for 176 yards — his second-best outing — scoring a touchdown, and electrifying the Eagles with significant runs of 55, 41, and 38 yards.
Although we are still early in the season, questions are arising about Daboll’s future with the team. After a remarkable first season in 2022 that led to a playoff appearance, the Giants posted a disappointing 6-11 record last season and have a combined record of 8-16 over their last 24 games. The Giants have yet to win a single game at home this season, accumulating just one touchdown and 31 points.
Daboll reportedly held his routine post-game discussion with co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, but he declined to share the details from Monday’s conversation. He acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, “Obviously, the results aren’t what we want them to be. But we’re working hard to fix the things we need to fix to get different results.”
Amid the challenges, there were some positive highlights from the game. Wide receiver Malik Nabers, who was the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft, led the Giants with four catches for 41 yards. All his gains came during the first half, and Nabers expressed his desire to be more involved in the second half. “I mean, I was open,” he mentioned following his game back after a concussion sustained on September 26 against Dallas.
Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones faced a tough time, getting sacked seven times by the Eagles, who managed to finish with eight sacks total — a stark increase from their 11 sacks prior to this matchup. Daboll emphasized that the issues stemmed from a combination of factors rather than any single element. “It wasn’t just one person, protection, or a route,” he noted. “It was a collective deal, and we’ll sit here, we’ll watch the tape. We’ll do everything we can do to be better this week.”
As for the offensive strategy, Daboll assumed the play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka this season, but the results remain less than satisfactory. The Giants have scored merely 99 points in seven games, which is a meager improvement from the previous year. Daboll mentioned that the coaching staff is engaged in open discussions about game footage and is weighing all possibilities to enhance offensive performance, noting that the team converted only 3 out of 14 opportunities on third down.
Despite the quarterback’s struggles, Daboll confirmed that Daniel Jones (14 completions on 21 attempts for 91 yards) would retain his position as the starting quarterback. Even after Jones was replaced by Drew Lock in the fourth quarter, the change failed to invigorate the offense.
Among those making strides, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is improving with each game, despite facing frequent double teams. He recorded two more sacks against Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, bringing his season total to a career-high nine, placing him among the league leaders.
In contrast, the offensive line faced significant setbacks. The line lost starting left tackle Andrew Thomas late in the game against Cincinnati, and third-year player Josh Ezeudu stepped in as his replacement, which led to a decline in performance. The line allowed seven sacks on Jones and one on Lock. Though Ezeudu struggled initially, Daboll stated that he managed to recover as the game progressed.
Injuries also impacted the Giants, with no updates available on cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (groin) or linebacker Ty Summers (ankle), who sustained injuries during the match. Punter Jamie Gillan (hamstring) and cornerback Adoree Jackson (neck) were also inactive.
Key statistics from the game revealed that the Giants only gained a total of 119 yards against the Eagles, marking their lowest offensive output since accumulating 112 yards at Tampa Bay on September 12, 1999.
Looking ahead, the Giants will prepare for a Monday night matchup against Pittsburgh, hoping to turn their fortunes around in the coming weeks.