Giants have a short week to fix offensive woes as they plan for Eagles
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart runs out of the pocket against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL game Sunday in New Orleans. Credit: AP/Gerald Herbert
A wake-up from a New Orleans hangover isn’t easy, but the Giants don’t have much time to get right after their five-turnover loss to the Saints on Sunday.
Thursday brings a home date with the Eagles, who have won 20 of their last 22 games. It’s also an angry Eagles team coming off its first loss and questions about its passing game.
The Giants have their own problems. Three main cogs in the offense — quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Darius Slayton — each had a fumble. Dart also had two interceptions and tried to shoulder much of the blame for the loss.
He got a vote of confidence on Monday from coach Brian Daboll, who also praised his maturity handling his first defeat.
“[The team] sees how he works. They know he’s a rookie,” Daboll said. “Again, there are going to be ups and downs. There’s no quarterback I’d rather have to work with than Jaxson.”
It also doesn’t matter who carries the most burden from the loss. What matters is sorting out the wreckage to find a way to be competitive against an Eagles team that dominated the Giants last year.
There won’t be as much focus on Saquon Barkley’s second game back at MetLife Stadium. Dart’s performance will be monitored more closely, especially after he got little help from his receivers.
Some might give Dart grace, given that he’s the NFL’s youngest quarterback at 22. He doesn’t want it.
“I’ve never cared about my age coming into the NFL,” he said. “I could give two craps about that. It’s about winning, so I don’t take any excuse for age or being a rookie.”
One thing that’s clear through two games: Dart is still developing chemistry with his receivers but has found a strong connection with tight end Theo Johnson. The second-year player has caught all three of Dart’s touchdown passes and tied with Skattebo for the team high with six catches on Sunday.
Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka orchestrated a game plan Sunday that featured two-tight end sets most of the game. Johnson and Daniel Bellinger benefited early on the two touchdown drives to start the game.
Bellinger’s four catches were his most since Week 14 last season, also against the Saints.
“I think we did a good job of showing everybody that we’re capable tight ends,” Johnson said. “I think that we can do everything that you ask us to in the pass game or the run game. So I’m glad that we got the opportunity to show that.”
It might foreshadow a scheme Daboll and Kafka use going forward. Johnson or Bellinger at times lined up outside, along with Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson on Sunday. There’s probably less trust in Jalin Hyatt or Beaux Collins as a third receiver after both were non-factors.
Whatever can help Dart is the Giants’ best plan. It won’t be easy against the defending Super Bowl champions, as the Eagles are second in opponent completion percentage (.580).
Yet the way Dart handled his first defeat had the coaching staff respecting his tone as much as the work he will put in to get ready for Thursday.
“I appreciate that from Jaxson taking accountability,” Kafka said Monday. “But us as coaches, we’re arm in arm with these guys, right? We’re arm in arm with them whether we win, whether we lose. And I think we’re all in this thing together.
“When we’re on the field, that’s an 11-man operation. Everyone’s accountable to one another and their assignments and their execution.”
The receiving corps has to be better. While Slayton’s fumble and drops were more obvious, Robinson had a quiet five-catch, 30-yard game.
Daboll said the receivers have to be ready to play, but he is confident that Dart will learn the right lessons based on his accountability.
“It’s no surprise that’s the type of guy that he is. He’s a pleasure to work with,” Daboll said. “I don’t want to sell him short, and I know what he’ll say, but I thought he did a lot of good things that gave us chances. We’ve got to take advantage of those chances.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
