New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll acknowledges there is mounting frustration in and around the complex with the team falling to 2-6 and riding a three-game losing streak.
Since pulling off an upset victory in Week 5 at Seattle, the Giants have been outscored 71-28 in losses to Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. They enter a Week 9 game against Washington with a minus-58 scoring margin and sit ahead of only the 1-7 Carolina Panthers in the NFC.
“You face things head on, things you got to fix. Be consistent,” Daboll said on Wednesday. “You don’t want to have downs, you’re going to have them. But you got to remain consistent in the leadership part of it. Communicate well. Go through the things that you can improve and then really focus on the things that you need to do for this week.
“But these guys care a tremendous amount. They work well together. There’s a lot of respect on both sides. I’d say the coaches and the players. Everybody’s doing everything they can.”
Part of the fan frustration is an 0-4 record at home, where the Giants’ only competitive effort was a 20-15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4. They have an opportunity to reverse those fortunes with five of their next six games being at MetLife Stadium.
It starts with the Commanders on Sunday, followed by the Panthers and then Tampa Bay visits following the Giants’ Week 11 bye.
New York enters Sunday’s game with the league’s 26th-ranked offense and 23rd-ranked passing game, while the Giants are second to last averaging 14.6 points per game.
“You got to continue to work at it and execute and to move the ball and finish plays in the scoring zone,” Daboll said of the struggling offense.
The Giants have given up 26 sacks through eight games, and the pass protection issues have been magnified by the injury to left tackle Andrew Thomas. Backup Joshua Ezeudu missed Wednesday’s practice while getting his knee drained, although Daboll expects him to play Sunday.
Still up in the air is the status of rookie running back Tyrone Tracy, who is in the league’s concussion protocol. Tracy has provided a spark to the offense with a 5.2-yard average on 73 yards. He leads the team with 376 rushing yards to veteran Devin Singletary’s 250. Tracy ripped off a season-long run of 45 yards against the Steelers.
“Those big plays, we had a few more of those, allow you to (move the ball into the scoring zone). You got to capitalize once you’re down there,” Daboll said.
