They say that winning solves everything, but what about losing? In the case of the Giants, a 49-17 blowout loss to the Cowboys on Sunday led to heated sideline discussions among coaches and players. With a 2-8 start and key players like Daniel Jones and Darren Waller sidelined due to injury, the Giants found themselves trailing 28-0 at halftime and 42-7 entering the fourth quarter of their Week 10 matchup.
The frustrations were evident, starting with running back Saquon Barkley engaging in an “animated discussion” with coach Brian Daboll after a failed goal-line series. Later in the game, wide receivers Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard seemed to be at odds, with Slayton grabbing Shepard’s shoulder pads in conversation and Shepard trailing him on the sidelines, vocalizing their disagreement.
Coach Daboll downplayed the sideline exchange in his post-game press conference, stating, “Yeah, Slayton and Shep, they weren’t getting into it. Little stuff during the game. Not a big deal. I’ve talked to all those guys. Not the results we want, but get back to work.”
Both Shepard and Slayton, reflecting on the incident, explained that it was not a personal disagreement but rather a moment of frustration and motivation. Shepard emphasized their strong bond, stating, “That is my brother like my mother’s kids. It was never that, never that. It was straight me motivating him to go out there and go do it.” Slayton echoed similar sentiments, acknowledging his frustration and appreciating Shepard’s role in calming him down and providing encouragement.
Addressing a spirited conversation with coach Groh, Slayton expressed that his frustration stems from the team’s overall performance rather than individual success. He recognized the need to manage emotions better in challenging scenarios.
While emotions running high in the NFL are not uncommon, the Giants have faced a growing issue of sideline disagreements. Earlier in the year, Coach Daboll was observed expressing frustration at quarterbacks Jones and Tyrod Taylor during broadcasts, a pattern that seems to persist as the team grapples with on-field challenges.
