NYG Postgame (vs. Bengals) Transcripts: Head Coach Brian Daboll
October 13, 2024
BRIAN DABOLL: Tough loss. I thought our defense played very good football. Missed the quarterback run early on a rush lane. But they played winning football, to hold those receivers to what we held them to in the pass game. I think (Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe) Burrow had about 50 yards rushing. But hats off to the way the defense played. Missed two opportunities in the kicking game. And then didn't score enough points offensively. That starts with me. It's hard to win games when you score seven points. That's the reality of it.
Q: Why do you think the offense struggled so much tonight?
BRIAN DABOLL: It's probably a number of things. I'll go back and watch the tape. I thought we had some opportunities throughout the game. Whether it be run, whether it be pass. We turned the ball over down there on that drive, which was a good drive, to come away with no points. I think we were 5-of-15 (on third-down), somewhere around there. Now we were aggressive on fourth down, because I thought we needed to be against this offense. We just couldn't generate any explosive plays. We had the penalty. Then other than that, we didn't hit many explosive plays. That's in a nutshell, before watching it.
Q: On that first series of the second half, where you did go for it on fourth (down) on the 38, didn't make it and then come back… Is that just a matter of you're just trying to jumpstart your offense?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we didn't have any points. I felt good about the stuff that we had. We were going a little bit up tempo and our defense did a great job after that of holding them, getting the ball back and then going down and scoring. But it's hard to win football games when you score seven points. That's reality of it.
Q: Can you explain what happened on that interception?
BRIAN DABOLL: (Quarterback) Daniel (Jones) was getting pressure and tried to throw it out of the back of the end zone. Not what we want to do. So that was a tough one. I'm sure he'd like to have that back. I'd like to have certainly the play call back when you get a result like that.
Q: Were you trying to hit (tight end) Theo (Johnson) on the back side there or did you want him to take (running back Tyrone) Tracy in the flat there, and that's…
BRIAN DABOLL: With the pressure, they looped around (tackle) Jermaine (Eluemunor). We had a chance at (Tyrone) Tracy or throw it at his feet if we don't have him. That was a shot type of play to Theo (Johnson). If we got sacked, we got sacked. Obviously, we don't want to turn the ball over in that situation. You can put that on me.
Q: It seemed like a similar decision to the one against Cleveland, where (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) batted it away. Is there anything that you can say about him just tossing it up there, multiple guys have a chance to bring it down?
BRIAN DABOLL: I don't think he was trying to throw it to complete it. But, certainly a decision that I know that we'd like to have back. But you can put that on me.
Q: What about on (tackle) Andrew’s (Thomas) penalty there on the long play to (wide receiver Darius) Slayton?
BRIAN DABOLL: He was downfield.
Q: What's that a product of?
BRIAN DABOLL: It was an RPO. Run-pass option, read the defense, usually get out of your hands quick. I thought he did. Andrew (Thomas) was blocking the run and it looked to me like it was the right call. That was two penalties for nine yards, but that was a 60-yard gain that totally changed field position.
Q: You mentioned the third down struggles. Did they do anything differently that you had to adjust to?
BRIAN DABOLL: No.
Q: Is there anything you can you put your finger on… Offensively, you've had one touchdown in three games at home, but you have had a lot more success away…
BRIAN DABOLL: It starts with execution. So, seven points won't get it done.
Q: What led to it being such a polar opposite from a week ago, when the offense really seemed to be working against Seattle to now?
BRIAN DABOLL: Every week, I tell you this, it's a week to week league. Every week's different. We didn't execute as well as we executed last week. Overall, I'm saying everybody. And that starts with me.
Q: Was there anything on offense you felt you could lean on? Obviously, in the first half, you couldn't run it. Second half, you were able to run it a little better. Was there anything that you felt, ‘Okay, at least I can lean on this?’
BRIAN DABOLL: There's some good things that we did and obviously not good enough. But, we'll go back and we'll look at it. Again, the ultimate deal is scoring points. Whether it's run, pass, whatever it may be. When you're inconsistent with the things that we're inconsistent with right now, the result is seven points. That all starts with me.
Q: We talked a lot a couple weeks ago about the deep balls not connecting. You had a couple last week and feels like it's gotten back to not being able to connect tonight. What do you think was the problem tonight?
BRIAN DABOLL: We'll take a look at it. Every week's different. We hit them last week, we didn't this week, and it's…
Q: How much is that holding you back, not being able to hit those with any level of consistency?
BRIAN DABOLL: Look, you're not going to be an 80% completion rate when you throw deep balls. You're going to hit some, you're going to miss some. Obviously, they help a great deal in terms of ending drives in points when you hit them. Whether that's catch and run, like it was on the one we got called back, or a downfield shot to (wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson) on the crosser. Whatever it may be. We’ll keep working at it.
Q: Did you consider a 54-yard field goal out of (kicker) Greg (Joseph)’s range or were you just reacting to the miss prior to that?
BRIAN DABOLL: I thought it was right on the cusp. We felt like that was the best thing to do, was to go for it on that fourth down there. The one to (Darius) Slayton?
Q: Yes.
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, felt good about the call. Still feel good about the call and they made a good play.
Q: Why did you kick a field goal on second down rather than taking two shots at the end zone and then kicking it?
BRIAN DABOLL: We have a situation there that we've practiced. Go ahead and kick that field goal. Get it back with a little bit more time. We needed two scores. So, field goal and touchdown. We didn’t want to waste any more time. We felt we were going to go ahead and kick the field goal right there. Unfortunately, didn't make it.
Q: When you say you still feel good about that call, the incompletion to (Darius) Slayton. What makes you say that after…?
BRIAN DABOLL: I mean the decision to go for it. I would do it again.
Q: Do you think any of issues with the two missed field goals tonight could they be attributed to just to a new holder?
BRIAN DABOLL: He's held for a long time. We felt comfortable with him out there. We’re not going to make an excuse for that.
Q: You had to use a timeout on one of those fourth downs. Did you have a headset issue or what?
BRIAN DABOLL: I did.
Q: Did you get it fixed after that one play?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it was after that one. Then they grabbed it and switched it up.
Q: Any significant issue with Andrew’s (Thomas) ankle?
BRIAN DABOLL: Don't have anything for you.
Q: What's your optimism level on Malik (Nabers) returning this week?
BRIAN DABOLL: I don't know. We'll ask the doctor and see where he's at. Day to day.
