Brian Daboll’s reputation as an offensive expert is facing challenges with the New York Giants.
When the Giants hired the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator as their coach in 2022, the aim was to improve Daniel Jones as a quarterback and boost an offense that struggled due to a lack of talent and poor offensive lines.
While they didn’t expect Daboll to turn Jones into the next Josh Allen, they hoped he would help the No. 6 overall pick from the 2019 draft become a better passer and runner who could score points for New York.
Now, more than two years into Daboll’s time with the team, scoring is still a problem. The Giants lost 17-7 to the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday night, wasting a strong performance from their defense against one of the NFL’s top offenses.
The Giants (2-4) have scored 96 points in six games, averaging just 16 points per game. In three home games, they’ve managed only 28 points. The Los Angeles Rams are the only NFC team with fewer points, scoring 94 in five games.
This is a concerning situation, especially since New York made improvements during the offseason. They drafted playmaking receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick, and general manager Joe Schoen managed to rebuild the offensive line after it allowed a record 85 sacks last season.
Nabers, who led the NFL with 35 catches after four weeks, has missed the last two games due to a concussion.
Daboll also took over the offensive play-calling from coordinator Mike Kafka this season. There appears to be more movement and deception, quicker throws, and the run game is included. However, they are still not scoring points.
With 11 games remaining, the Giants have a defense led by tackle Dexter Lawrence that can keep them competitive. The offense, however, is falling short.
“It’s extremely frustrating because our defense played their butts off and as an offensive player, you want to score to reward their efforts,” receiver Darius Slayton said. “We have to do a better job of finishing drives and finishing in the end zone.”
If they can’t improve, the Giants may need to consider finding another offensive expert.
