Outsiders have suggested that New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is either losing or has already lost members of his locker room after multiple players used the word “soft” to describe the club’s effort in the 30-7 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that dropped Big Blue to 2-9 on the season this past Sunday.
Giants linebacker Micah McFadden spoke with reporters on Monday and addressed the “soft” comments.
“I think that’s just kind of frustration immediately after the game,” McFadden said, as shared by Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “I don’t think those guys were talking about our team being completely soft. I think it was just an overall frustration from how the game felt. It felt like we got dominated out there. It felt embarrassing.”
If nothing else, it certainly seems that Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen failed to adequately read the room regarding how players would feel about the club benching and subsequently releasing quarterback Daniel Jones. With Tommy DeVito in the lineup in Jones’ place, New York was largely non-competitive against a Tampa Bay side that held a 30-0 lead after three quarters of play and that openly mocked DeVito following a touchdown.
“If somebody thinks I’m playing soft, that’s an embarrassing statement to hear. I don’t think we are a soft team,” McFadden continued. “I think this team has the right mindset. I think we carry ourselves to a high standard. We’ve just got to stay focused.”
Staying focused on the task at hand may prove to be easier said than done, as McFadden and others in the locker room have to be aware at this point that numerous reports have indicated Giants co-owner John Mara could blow things up come January. Some think Mara could fire Daboll as soon as this Friday if the Giants get blown out at the 4-7 Dallas Cowboys in front of a Thanksgiving Day national audience.
“Times like this can really pull teammates and teams apart from each other,” guard Jon Runyan added. “In times like this, you have come even closer together and figure out how we get this thing going together. Because the more separated you become, the worse things get.”
One can only wonder how Mara may react if things get worse for the Giants at AT&T Stadium on Thursday. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed New York as a four-point underdog against Dallas.
