The Giants are above .500 for the first time since 2016, sitting at 1-0 following a 21-20 win over the Titans.
One of the men responsible for this fast start is new head coach Brian Daboll, who showed his true guts Sunday by attempting a two-point conversion to take the one-point lead with a minute remaining.
A ballsy call indeed, especially for a head-coaching debut for a pro football team in the big city. And not only did Daboll’s performance earn a victory, but kind words from a former head coach of this same exact market.
“The dark cloud over the Giants, which was Joe Judge, is gone,” former Jets head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan said on Monday’s edition of “Get Up,” via NJ Advance Media. “It’s all sunny right now. Why? Because you’ve got a guy, Brian Daboll, (who) is the exact opposite.
“I don’t care what their backgrounds look like. Both guys coached under (Alabama head coach Nick Saban). Both guys coached under (Patriots head coach Bill Belichick). They couldn’t be more opposite than they are, and that’s exactly what this team needed.”
There is a ray of sunshine above East Rutherford right now, but the skies will only remain clear if the Giants remain in the win column. Daboll won’t be receiving the same treatment if his team loses to a Baker Mayfield-led Panthers squad at home this Sunday. This is New York — it’s a reactive fanbase that will love or hate you depending on how successful you really are.
But it’s a great start to the Daboll era nonetheless. Definitely better than the start to the Joe Judge era in 2020, when the former Giants head coach began his Big Blue tenure with five straight losses. Judge ended up 10-23 before the organization cut ties after two lousy seasons.
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