Brian Daboll sits down in his office with Giants.com each week for a conversation about the latest at 1925 Giants Drive. This week, the head coach talks about the pass game opening up and the challenge ahead with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, who are also looking for their first win of the season on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
Q: Was Sunday what you had in mind when you signed Russell Wilson in terms of the deep passes?
A: “Explosive plays help an offense score points, either by scoring the ball like we did on a number of them or skipping two or three third downs, which are at times difficult to convert on. So, you eliminate some of those things. Explosive plays usually equal points.”
Q: Has the reliance on them evolved over the years?
Daboll: “I don’t really think it’s evolved. I think explosive plays have always helped. The game has evolved to more of a spread and completion type game. But I don’t think explosive plays have ever gone out of style.”
Q: We’ve heard so much about Russ’ moon ball from his perspective. As a former receivers coach, what’s the artform on the other end?
Daboll: “Just be available. Get your eyes back and locate the ball when it’s up in the air and come down with it. Sometimes they’re contested, like Malik [Nabers] had a really good one that was contested. Wan’Dale [Robinson] was running through the defense and [Nabers] did a good job with his eyes and being on the same page with Russ on a number of them. When a guy gives you a chance to make a play and puts really good arc and pace underneath it, then it’s your job as a receiver to go up and make a play on the ball.”
Q: You get [Jaxson] Dart in there for his first action. Greg Olsen said on the broadcast he’d love to know what that conversation was like on that drive. So, what was it?
Daboll: “I thought putting him in would give an opportunity potentially to open up some of the run game. So, offense was down, defense was up and I’m listening to the defense [on the headset] and going through that. He was next to me. I said, ‘Be ready to go in this next series.'”
Q: That’s a big spot. Is one of the biggest things as a coach balancing what can go right as opposed to what can go wrong?
Daboll: “I have confidence in all our guys that are out there. We’ve been doing a bunch of things since training camp and just felt like he was ready to go.”
Q: Cam Skattebo gets his first touchdown. He’s up for Rookie of the Week. If you were a kid growing up right now, would you have a No. 44 jersey?
Daboll: “Not sure I could have afforded one when I was a kid. Look, all these young guys, we’re trying to develop them and they’ve earned opportunities to get in there. When they get in there, we expect them to be able to go out there and perform.”
Q: What do you think it is about him that resonates with fans? Anything we put out with him, it blows up.
Daboll: “I just coach him. He’s got a good mentality. He’s tough, runs hard. I think he plays the game the right way.”
Q: Another rookie, Marcus Mbow, got his first extended action at left tackle and you didn’t really hear his name – which is a good thing for an offensive lineman. How tough was it to do that in a road atmosphere?
Daboll: “He had a good preseason. He’s another young guy that has developed since he has been here. He has the right mindset, the right play style. I expect him to be ready when he’s put in the game. There’s a number of guys like Jaxson and him who played really their first regular season game. I thought he acquitted himself well.”