Brian Daboll Looks for Answers Following Giants’ Loss to Bengals

The Giants offense reverted to its sloppy, lackluster ways in a 17-7 loss to the Bengals.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) looks for an open receiver, Sunday, October 13, 2024, in East Rutherford. / Kevin Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

East Rutherford, N.J. – The New York Giants defense played worthy of a primetime spot, holding a stellar Cincinnati BEngals offense to just 17 points, their second lowest total of the season.

The Giants offense? That was quite another story as New York just couldn’t get anything going all night long for a variety of reasons, from several unmanageable third down situations to an awful turnover in the red zone by quarterback Daniel Jones, to dropped passes, and to missed connections.

After the game, head coach Brian Daboll tried to find answers for the Giants' latest clunker.

“I thought our defense played very good football. Missed the quarterback run early on a rush lane. But they played winning football, to hold those receivers to what we held them to in the pass game,” he said. 

“I think (Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe) Burrow had about 50 yards rushing. But hats off to the way the defense played. Missed two opportunities in the kicking game. And then didn't score enough points offensively. That starts with me. It's hard to win games when you score seven points. That's the reality of it.”

The reality of it is that Jones, who is now 1-15 in primetime games, has not thrown a touchdown pass at MetLife Stadium in 21 months. The reality of it is that the Giants have one touchdown in 12 quarters of play on their home field. 

And the reality of it is that the Giants offense remains too inconsistent, at times looking as though it’s turned the corner, and others–like on Sunday– looking like it’s a mess.

“I thought we had some opportunities throughout the game,” Daboll said, still trying to find answers as to why the offense which he now runs struggled. 

“We turned the ball over down there on that drive, which was a good drive, to come away with no points. I think we were 5-of-15 (on third-down), somewhere around there. 

“Now we were aggressive on fourth down, because I thought we needed to be against this defense. We just couldn't generate any explosive plays. We had the penalty. Then other than that, we didn't hit many explosive plays. That's in a nutshell, before watching it.”

Daboll, when asked about Jones’s backbreaking interception that came on a play in which he missed a wide-open Tyrone Tracy in the flat, didn’t mince words about that momentum-killing gaffe.

“Daniel (Jones) was getting pressure and tried to throw it out of the back of the end zone,” he said. “Not what we want to do. So that was a tough one. I'm sure he'd like to have that back. I'd certainly like to have the play call back when you get a result like that.”

The bottom line, as far as Daboll was concerned, was that while there were a few good things to come from the offense’s showing,  the execution lacked.  

“It starts with execution. So, seven points won't get it done,” he said. 

“Again, the ultimate deal is scoring points. Whether it's run, pass, whatever it may be. When you're inconsistent with the things that we're inconsistent with right now, the result is seven points. That all starts with me.”

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