Emotions were running high on the Giants sideline down the stretch of Sunday’s 23-17 victory over the Jaguars. Late in the game, it looked as if head coach Brian Daboll might have had an issue with quarterback coach Shea Tierney, based on a video clip, but it turns out both were trying to praise Daniel Jones, at the same time.
Jones scored on a sneak with 5:31 remaining, giving the Giants a 20-17 lead, completing a 10-play, 79-yard drive that featured nine runs, one incomplete pass and three defensive penalties on the Jaguars. When Jones came over to the bench area, he was met by Tierney, who put both his hands on Jones’ shoulders, smiled and began to speak with Jones. The conversation never got going, as an animated Daboll rushed over, gently nudged Tierney out of the way, slapped hands with Jones and then patted him on the shoulders. Daboll then walked away and put on his headset.
Both Brian Daboll and Shea Tierney attempted to praise Daniel Jones at the same time. Screengrab (2)“I think Shea and I were both about to tell him the same thing and I just wanted to tell him before Shea,’’ Daboll said. “Shea was on top of it. It was positive. I just wanted to get to him, talk to him and then get back on the headset with the other side of the ball. He made a really good play on that quarterback sneak, made a good decision and had a good drive so it was really all positive.’’
Daboll brought Tierney to the Giants this season. Tierney was the assistant quarterbacks coach with the Bills when Daboll ran the defense in Buffalo.
The Giants catch a break in that they will not have to defend against Seahawks WR DK Metcalf in Seattle. Metcalf exited this past week’s 37-23 victory over the Chargers with what has been diagnosed as a patellar tendon injury. It is not a season-ending injury, but it will keep the powerhouse receiver out of action. Metcalf this season has 31 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns.
The Giants have a four-game winning streak with a margin of victory totaling 23 points. They are 3-0 on the road, the first time since 2009 they won their first three road games in a season.
Landon Collins played for the Giants on Sunday for the first time since the back end of the 2018 season. Elevated from the practice squad and not having played all season — he was signed on Oct. 5 — it figured that Collins would play 10-12 snaps. Collins was on the field for 23 of the 71 snaps on defense and on his first play he tackled Travis Etienne on a screen pass short of a first down. Collins was used in the dime package, playing a hybrid safety/inside linebacker role.
“He did a good job,’’ Daboll said. “He’s a pro. Obviously he’s played a lot of football. We got him acclimated to how we do things here, he picked up our defense well.’’
Figure Collins’ playing time will increase from here on out. Rookie safety Dane Belton was also on the field for 23 snaps and the starting safeties, Xavier McKinney and Julian Love, were out there for all 71 snaps. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has shown his hand. He prefers versatile guys who can tackle.
