Every plan, every minute of every day, was precisely detailed and designed with many objectives in mind, but one player in particular.
Coach Brian Daboll has changed how the Giants prepare for the upcoming season, and the driving force behind the change was to get Daniel Jones ready to go.
Daboll has had enough time to execute the plan that he can quickly recall the numbers and expects to see immediate results starting with the season opener against the Vikings on Sept. 8.
He played the Giants 140 more times in full pads this training camp than he did last year.
Including spring training and overtime activities, the Giants had 500 more practice sessions than they did last year.
It’s a pretty accurate simulation of the actual game and should be instructive for the offense and defense overall, and most importantly for Jones, a quarterback with a lot at stake in 2024.
“The thing that was specifically designed for DJ was less 7-on-7 and more team work, working on pressure and rushing lanes and being able to step up in the pocket,” Daboll said. “I thought that was key.”
Ah, that’s important.
Jones is big and has great arm strength (though not enough to flick his wrist).
His speed is top notch (though his agility is not).
He is perfect for the role.
His quick reactions, decision-making and behavior under pressure in the pocket are what has caused him to fluctuate from “needs improvement” to “embarrassing” over his five NFL seasons.
Jones is entering his sixth season with the Giants but likely won’t see a seventh unless he continues to improve his career trajectory.
Daboll has traditionally focused on 7-on-7 drills in the spring, but that hasn’t been the case this spring.
The more times Jones plays center in full-team situations, the better, and not just because his 2023 season ended on Nov. 5 and he’s just returned from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery.
The Giants aren’t going to get very far unless Daboll can get Jones back to his 2022 performance level and then improve on that by being less cautious and increasing the potential for big plays.
The extra testing he underwent during training camp and in scrimmages with the Lions and Jets not only took a toll on his reconstructed right knee, but also created uncomfortable conditions in and around the pocket.
Once the Giants realized they wouldn’t be able to select Jones’ replacement with a high pick in the NFL Draft (always a long shot), they pivoted and found rookie receiver Malik Neighbors as Jones’ primary target.
The offensive line will be smarter and more capable with three newly signed veteran starters with a combined 20 years of NFL experience.
Daboll took over the play-calling duties, which will be a benefit to Jones, and the change in practice allowed Daboll to say he was “comfortable with Daniel” before benching him for the final preseason game.
Of course, it’s not just one player that changes an entire training camp.
They have a new defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, and a new system to implement and learn, and the more reps the team gets the better.
“We played a lot more with pads on,” Daboll said, “so that was an emphasis that we needed and that the coaches thought we needed, and we just tried to do what we thought was best.”
The best thing to do was, again, to keep established starters off the field for nearly the entirety of the three preseason games.
It was more about staying healthy than anything else.
It was an embarrassing start to the 2023 season that the Giants know cannot happen again.
Although Jones managed to rally the Giants to a 60-0 victory in Week 2 at Arizona after being trailing 60-0 through the first six quarters, it did not assuage accusations that the Giants were not ready to compete at the start of the season.
“Yeah, we looked at the previous year’s performance, whatever the start is, a fast start and … again, the most important thing is playing well and being coached well,” Daboll said. “Every year we try to make adjustments, but obviously we’re looking at how the season starts.”
Will it work? The Giants will play at home against the Vikings and then on the road against the Commanders.
There is a way to get off to a good start.
“Time will tell,” Daboll said. “I’m happy with where we are right now. I think we have good toughness, mental toughness, physical toughness. I’m happy with the direction we’re going.”
He has looked to prepare Daniel Jones for what lies ahead and has led the team in that direction by changing the way they prepare.
