The New York Giants snapped their four-game losing streak on Sunday with a gritty, 14-7, win over the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants improved to 2-5 on the year and quite possibly saved their season in the process.
Head coach Brian Daboll has taken a ton of criticism this season but he has not taken his eye off the light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’ve said this before, it’s an up-and-down league. It’s a humbling league, but if you can stay consistent with your approach,” Daboll told reporters after the game. “You make slight adjustments and your belief in the players. It’s not for everybody, you gotta be able to do that. It’s not gonna be perfect all the time and there’s definitely gonna be some struggles and again, one week has nothing to do with the next week.
“So, whether we lost a close game to the Bills, we won this close game tonight, it really has no bearing on what we do next week to keep a consistent attitude, to work with great intention. That’s what’s important to get ready for a game that’s gonna be difficult every week regardless of who you play and focus on your job and putting the team first. Again, it’s not always easy, but that’s what the job requires.”
One of the biggest challenges has been along the offensive line, where seven of the nine players that made the final roster out of training camp are either on IR, off the roster, or on the sidelines nursing an injury.
The makeshift offensive line has been holding up despite the loss of both starting tackles (Andrew Thomas, Evan Neal) and stud rookie center (John Michael Schmitz).
On Sunday, the Giants went with Justin ‘straight off the couch’ Pugh at left tackle and Tyre Phillips — signed off the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad last week — at right tackle.
Ben Bredeson filled in again at center with Mark Glowinski and Marcus McKethan at guard.
“They’re pros, the guys that were out there tonight, and they worked extremely hard during the week and a couple of days at practice, we were moving guys around and we settled on it say Thursday of how it was gonna go and if (tackle) Evan (Neal) could go, and if he could go, then we had another kind of line up change, if you would. But (offensive linemen coach) Bobby (Johnson) has met with those guys early and late, and he have a kind of revolving door there. Tough competitors,” he said.
Daboll was asked how he settled on the configuration of the line.
“It’s something we talked about as a coaching staff. I think the communication was better. Just having Pugh, a veteran, Bredeson and Glow(inski) kind of opposite because they worked together as well,” he said. “With Tyre back and he was only back for a week, some code words and things like that, even though he picked up, I’d say almost all of it on the way back, it’s still helpful to have someone right next to him that’s been out there and done it, veteran wise.”
Thomas is likely to return this week at left tackle, which will send the line into yet another iteration — the eighth in as many games. We’ll find out later in the week if Neal and Schmitz will play as well.
