Giants report card: Brian Daboll’s first game as play-caller was a complete disaster
Grading the Giants’ 28-6 Week 1 loss to the Vikings on Sunday:
Offense
If you don’t have something good to say … well, we can’t leave a blank space here. Daniel Jones (22 of 42, 186 yards, 2 INTs) looked so bad that you have to wonder if he was seeing ghosts out there. He was throwing one-hoppers and that Pick 6 — wow. Rookie Malik Nabers (5-66) had two 25-yard receptions but, alas, he cannot pass it to himself. Jones was sacked five times but he ran into a few of them. Newly-built line did not open much in the run game, with Devin Singletary (10-37) finding no room to maneuver. Guess Jalin Hyatt was not part of this game plan. This was awful from beginning to end.
Grade: F
3
Daniel Jones (8) reacts after throwing a pick six during the third quarter of the Giants/Minnesota Vikings game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
Allowing Sam Darnold (19 of 24, 208 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) to come in and carve you up and compile a passer rating of 113.2 is a heckuva way to embark on a new season. Killer facemask penalty on Kayvon Thibodeaux allowed the Vikings offense to stay on the field in the third quarter, leading to a TD. Not good. Deonte Banks, the best cornerback the Giants have, was cleanly beaten by Justin Jefferson (4-59) for 44 yards and later on a 3-yard TD. CB Cor’Dale Flott was beaten by Jalen Nailor for a TD. Good hit by rookie Dru Phillips on his first NFL snap forced a fumble by C.J. Ham that was recovered by Bobby Okereke. Too much for RB Aaron Jones (14-94, 1 TD). Rookie LB Darius Muasau in his debut had an interception in the third quarter of a Darnold pass deflected into the air at the line of scrimmage. Allowing 312 total yards and 3 of 10 third down conversions is fine, but the Giants need more.
Grade: C-minus.
3
New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks (3) chases but canât stop a long-yardage pass to Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) during the first half when the New York Giants played the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, September 8, 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Special Teams
Darius Slayton was thrown into emergency punt return duties and he muffed the first one he saw. Dane Belton alertly recovered the ball to save Slayton. Great teamwork early in the second quarter to keep a 39-yard Jamie Gillan punt out of the end zone, with Ty Summers, Belton and Nick McCloud batting the ball before Bryce Ford-Wheaton downed it at the 1-yard line. Gillan averaged 46.3 yards and put four down inside the 20. Graham Gano hit a 23-yard field goal.
Grade: B
3
Brian Daboll and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13) walk off the field after the Minnesota Vikings beat the Giants 28-6 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
What do they often say? It’s not the plays, it’s the players. Well, Brian Daboll better hope that is true because his debut as the play-caller on offense was an abject disaster. There were no answers to be found. The first game for defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was nothing special — allowing a 99-yard drive was brutal and his vow to stop the run was not realized. There was no crispness to much that went on out there.
Grade: F
