The Giants went from running a QB sneak on 3rd-and-9 at their own goal line to successfully converting a walk-off two-point conversion against a playoff team.
Then they celebrated together in the locker room.
Rapid reaction to the Patriots' Week 1 loss
What a difference a coach makes!
Brian Daboll rallied the Giants to a come-from-behind 21-20 win over the Titans in Tennessee Sunday, putting the team above .500 for the first time since 2016 (that is a real stat). It’s the kind of win the Giants would’ve never delivered for Joe Judge.
They went 10-23 in two disastrous seasons under Judge, and lost his last four games by a collective score of 106-26. The Giants failed to score more than 10 points in each of the contests.
In other words, they quit on the embattled disciplinarian who made them run sprints and lied during a press conference in a pathetic attempt to save his job.
Shocking!
The Giants looked reborn Sunday, especially Saquon Barkley. The dynamic running back finally seems fully healthy, and rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown. He scored the aforementioned two-pointer as well.
Daboll, who was Josh Allen’s offensive coordinator in Buffalo, also already seems to be connecting with Daniel Jones. After regressing under Judge, the fourth-year passer completed 17-of-21 passes for two touchdowns.
Daboll got into his face at one point, but it seemed to motivate Jones, rather than deflate him.
Judge tried many cheesy motivational tactics: removing names from his players’ jerseys, forcing players to do push ups, babbling on about toughness. None of it worked. Daboll accomplished more in a brief sideline exchange than Judge in two years.
Boomer Esiason called Judge a “dark cloud” over the Giants on WEEI Monday.
Judge was with the Patriots Sunday, presiding over an offense that turned the ball over three times and scored a measly seven points. He was also wearing a hoodie on the sideline in 90-degree heat.
For one week, it looks like Patriots and Giants switched places. And there is one big common denominator between their struggles.