New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll stood before the media after his team just dropped their 10th straight game on Sunday afternoon appearing like a man facing a firing squad.
Although he wasn’t offered a cigarette, Daboll was asked the same tired questions about his floundering team, which is barely recognizable to the one he started the season with thanks to injuries.
“It’s just not good enough,” Daboll told reporters after the Giants were trounced by the Atlanta Falcons, 34-7.
Daboll is out of answers. He was out of answers weeks ago. Now, he just looks like an army field officer waiting to be relieved of his command. He still, however, believes his voice is somewhat being heard by the players in the locker room.
“I think we’ve got a lot of good competitors in the room. It’s tough when you lose,” he said.
True. Daboll’s hand has been reduced greatly as the season has unfolded. He’s doing his best to hold things together. Nothing he’s done has worked thus far and it looks like nothing much will at this point.
The Giants had as many as 21 names on the injury report last week heading into the game. They are missing all of their captains except special teams long snapper Casey Kreiter.
They are being led by first-year veteran free agent adds, practice squad elevations, players on one-year contracts, and first- and second-year players still trying to figure the NFL out.
On Monday, the morning team at WFAN appeared to feel sorry for Daboll and the members of the media who have to confront him daily.
“He looks like a beaten man now,” Jerry Recco said. “That is a tough spot too, to be a reporter. Those questions, it sucks asking those questions.”
Recco then went through the painful process of watching a team trying to close out a season that can’t be over soon enough.
“They have no quarterback and they are beyond banged up. If John Mara fires Joe Schoen or Brian Daboll, or one or the other, I understand. But you want the No. 1 pick at this point and the season has long been over,” he said.
“What do you want them to do? This is such a terrible spot to be in.
“This has collapsed beyond anything to the point where I thought it could collapse to. It’s just a mess.”
The Giants are now 17-31-1 under Daboll. Three seasons ago, he was the NFL Coach of the Year. That seems like light years away from where he is now.
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