Following their week 13 loss to the Cowboys, the Giants are officially eliminated from playoff contention. With five games left in the season, New York is playing for pride now, hoping for a massive turnaround in 2025. So where do the Giants go from here?
What Went Wrong For The Giants?
There is a laundry list of problems with the 2024 New York Giants, and this team might’ve been doomed to fail from the start. The first was the loss of Saquon Barkley. Due to Daniel Jones’ massive contract, GM Joe Schoen prioritized his underperforming $40 million quarterback over a generational running back. Schoen’s words to Barkley were “The right thing to do is let you test the market to see what your value is” a sentence that might cost Schoen his job.
Speaking of the roster, Joe Schoen’s drafting has not been great over the last three years. The Giants’ 2023 draft class is either underperforming or riding the bench. The 2022 class saw 11 players get picked, none of whom have reached their potential. Kayvon Thibodeaux should be a superstar, and he’s struggling mightily. Evan Neal is likely to lose his starting job after this season. The only player still showing his potential in a broken system is Wan’Dale Robinson, but his opportunities are limited.
Should The Giants Clean House?
The easy answer here would be yes, but this isn’t an easy situation. After everything mentioned above, Joe Schoen should be on his way out the door. He let Barkley walk to a division rival, his drafting is miserable, and at the end of the day, he’s the one who paid Daniel Jones that contract. The unfortunate thing here is the circumstance. Schoen clearly has good intentions, but his final decision-making is not working out.
This leads to the question “Should the Giants fire Brian Daboll?”. The answer here is no. In Daboll’s first year, he led the team to their first playoff win in years and won the Coach Of the Year award. 2023 saw his starting QB get injured after six weeks, problems with his defensive coordinator, and a running back on the outs. That season was a wash from the jump, and that’s not on Daboll.
In 2024, Dabs went into the season without his best offensive weapon, a QB teetering on the cutting board, and a new role on the coaching staff. It was clear from week one that Daniel Jones was struggling, his first touchdown pass was a pick-six to a Vikings linebacker. Daboll’s playcalling has been questionable, but he’s not exactly coaching a top-10 QB. Brian Daboll should not lose his job over bad management decisions, and he could see success with a QB of his choosing.
Things Will Get Better For The Giants
Whatever route the Giants take, change in New York is a certainty. For the last six years, Giants fans have been aware of what each season would entail. The fanbase has seen a mediocre QB with a bad offensive line and lackluster weapons. 2025 will see new opportunities for a young QB to grow with up-and-coming weapons and a coach with more to prove than ever. Whether it’s Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, the Giants are finding their future.
Malik Nabers, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Wan’Dale Robinson, and Theo Johnson are all very young and talented offensive playmakers. The offensive line is coming together and when healthy, they’ve proven they can perform. The Giants should keep Brian Daboll around and give him an offense he can get creative with. The future is bright in New York, and it’s time for the Giants to take a leap.
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