NY Giants' Brian Daboll Picked as Coach of the Year Candidate

"That is a coach who had his hands all over Josh Allen at the start of his career,” Erdahl said. “He made (quarterback) Daniel Jones better for a minute... but this man is about to make a name for himself with whatever quarterback is playing for the Giants this year."

Many people have already given up on Daboll, arguing that his hard-nosed style has not translated to sustained success in the modern NFL. Once Jones reverted to his old ways, and the offense became unbearably stagnant, it was as if the curtain was pulled back and the Wizard of Oz was exposed as a fraud.

A favorable schedule and a favorable opponent in the Minnesota Vikings enabled Daboll to convince fans that a new day had dawned during the 2022 season. Following a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, which ended with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale exiting the team after reported friction with Daboll, optimism greatly diminished.

There was still some hope, however. When the Giants lost 14 games last season, more than any other squad in franchise history, many called for Daboll's job. He has to rebuild trust with the fan base after questionable decision-making and ineffective play-calling.

Daboll aims to be the 2022 version of himself, but even better

Daboll has already proven himself capable. He can ignite a spark in the locker room and accentuate players' strengths. Do not forget that this polarizing coach is the only one to lead the Giants to a road playoff victory since Tom Coughlin. That means something.

Moreover, there is reason to think that he could have a positive impact on the team once again. Daboll has officially relinquished play-calling duties to assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. This should allow him to focus more on his big-picture responsibilities as head coach. 

He also has an upgraded QB room to utilize. Russell Wilson has thrown only 13 interceptions in his last 26 games. Daniel Jones equaled that number in his last 16 starts. 

Wilson has also accomplished a great deal in this league and has done so without a particularly deep pass-catching group for most of his career. He limits mistakes and can get by despite having an unproven supporting cast.

That is what New York will ask of the 36-year-old, at least for now. When rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart inevitably jumps Wilson for the top spot on the depth chart, Daboll will face even more pressure. 

The former Ole Miss signal caller is the hand-picked guy to lead the Giants for many years to come. This duo has spent a significant amount of time working together over the last few months.

You could hear whispers of Josh Allen when Dart took the field during the preseason, but one should not draw such comparisons just yet, as they’re not fair.

Still, the All-SEC selection has the physical tools that many organizations covet in a modern signal-caller. If Daboll can help develop another first-class talent at the most important position, he will dramatically improve his stock.

Molding Dart is not enough, though. The only way for Daboll to seize Coach of the Year honors is by winning games. Nine wins earned him the award last time, and he can potentially do so again, given his unforgiving schedule featuring ten matchups against playoff teams from last season.

A stacked defensive line consisting of Dexter Lawrence II, Brian Burns, Abdul Crater, and Kayvon Thibodeaux can lift New York toward that range. Brian Daboll may have to recapture his 2022-23 magic to truly shock the world, but one can argue that he has more at his disposal now than he did then.

Daboll and the Giants begin their joint quest for redemption on Sunday in Northwest Stadium against the Washington Commanders.

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