Giants Country

Brian Daboll Unwilling to Name Starting Quarterback for Week 17

Does it even matter any more?

Patricia Traina

Dec 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll on the sideline against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Dec 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll on the sideline against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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It probably doesn’t matter to the New York Giants fan base, many of whom would just as soon see the team continue its losing ways to ensure it gets the first overall pick in the 2025 draft.

But for head coach Brian Daboll, there are still two games left to be played and he will need a quarterback for both of them.

But whether he stays with Drew Lock, who became the first Giants quarterback to toss two Pick-6s in a game since Eli Manning did so in a 2007 game against the Minnesota Vikings, remains to be seen.

“I'd say we're just done playing this game. We'll go back and watch the tape and make our decisions,” Daboll said moments after the Giants suffered a 34-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Daboll said he didn’t consider switching to Tommy DeVito, who this week cleared the concussion protocol and was named QB2, ahead of Tim Boyle, who last week came in and actually looked the best of the three quarterbacks currently on the roster. 

“I let Drew battle through it,” Daboll said in explaining why he didn’t pull the plug on Lock, who saw a 7-0 second-quarter lead evaporate into a 17-7 deficit by halftime. 

“You know, see if we can make some improvements. At the end of the day, it's hard to win a game when you turn the ball over three times.” 

Daboll was particularly upset with Lock on his first interception, which the quarterback took full blame for.

 “We had a shift coming out of the huddle. Broke the huddle late. Went up to Malik [Nabers], tried to get him over to the side,” Lock said.

“Seen him run over there. Clock’s getting down. Tried to get the ball in my hands to be able to do something with it, but just didn’t get our guys set and can’t make a bad play worse. Flag, nothing would’ve counted, just can’t do that. Can’t do that. Got to keep it in your hands.” 

And what did Daboll tell him?

 “Yeah, just telling me I can’t do that,” Lock said. “Everything he said to me was the same thing I was feeling in my head. We weren’t on two different planets on what he was saying, just obviously a little disappointed in that first turnover.”

And what happened on the second interception?

“Broken play. Tried to get Malik [Nabers] over, thought we could maybe try to get a snap before the clock ran out. Just didn’t get out of the huddle fast enough,” Lock said. 

“Wan’Dale [Robinson] was my shortest route. Tried to get the ball out to him before the safety could cut it, and he got it. But like I said, can’t make a bad play worse. Flag on it, nothing was going to happen. Could’ve thrown an 80-yard touchdown. I just got to be smarter and keep that ball in my hands.”

With the Giants continuing to flop like a fish out of water this season thanks largely in part to the quarterback situation being a complete mess, Daboll was asked if he had any regrets on how the position was handled this season. 

“Yeah, we'll just try to do what we think is best,” he said. 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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