The Brian that Invoice Belichick meant to textual content with congratulations on getting the Giants job again in 2022 is now not teaching right here in New York.
Brian Daboll was fired in November.
The Brian that Belichick allegedly texted as an alternative, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, is coming again to MetLife Stadium on Sunday searching for a 3rd straight Minnesota win, together with his discrimination lawsuit in opposition to the NFL, the Giants and different groups over that hiring cycle nonetheless hanging within the steadiness.
Driving shotgun to Flores shall be Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, an inconsistent however swaggy younger QB whom the Giants handed on totally within the 2024 NFL Draft once they have been in main want of a quarterback.
So Flores and McCarthy have sufficient motivation alone at hand the Giants (2-12) a ninth straight loss on Sunday.
On prime of that, it will likely be fascinating to see how Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is ready to deal with Flores’ aggressive and shapeshifting protection. That is like nothing Dart has confronted but within the NFL.
“Just chaos,” Dart mentioned, describing Flores’ scheme. “[It’s] chaos, just trying to disguise different looks and bring a whole bunch of different pressures. But they’re organized in the back end too, so they do it soundly.”
The Vikings (6-8) have been one of many NFL’s extra disappointing groups this season after letting Sam Darnold stroll in free company to the Seattle Seahawks to clear a path for McCarthy to take the reins.
They even positioned three starters on injured reserve this week that may miss Sunday’s sport: offensive deal with Christian Darrisaw (knee), outdoors linebacker Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) and security Josh Metellus (knee/shoulder). High defensive deal with Javon Hargrave (thigh) additionally will sit out.
And but the Vikings are nonetheless 2.5-point street favorites over the Giants.
A significant purpose is that the Vikings shut out the Washington Commanders two weeks in the past, 31-0, in Minnesota. The Vegas oddsmakers made Giants house favorites over the Commanders final week in response.
After which the Giants proceeded to lose, 29-21, to a Washington group suffering from observe squad gamers, beginning backup QB Marcus Mariota and boasting solely a 4-10 document after that win.
There’s additionally what occurred the final time the Vikings got here right here with Flores as defensive coordinator: Minnesota embarrassed the Giants, 28-6, in a brutal 2024 Week 1 season opener. Daniel Jones and the Giants’ offense, as was typical underneath Daboll, didn’t handle a single landing.
That was again when Graham Gano was nonetheless kicking for the Giants. On Sunday, the nod will go to Ben Sauls, the Giants’ fourth kicker of this season, after they launched Younghoe Koo this week.
The Giants’ protection this season, although, really places them in place to lose each sport the play.
Take a look at this stat: The Giants have outscored their opponents 118-104 within the first and third quarters of video games this season. They’ve been outscored 282-182 within the second and fourth quarters.
Now right here comes McCarthy, who hot-dogged a dashing landing in final week’s 34-26 win over the Dallas Cowboys, ready to make an announcement and have one other get-right sport in opposition to one of many NFL’s worst defenses.
“A really sharp kid, great kid with a cool personality,” Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka mentioned this week.
How so?
“He’s got a unique personality,” Kafka mentioned. “I think he’s got just kind of a laid-back chill [guy], but when the lights turn on and when the ball’s out there, he kind of flips a little bit of a switch. And it’s cool to watch that.”
The Giants’ outlook shouldn’t be so bleak in opposition to such a susceptible, mistake inclined group. However they only haven’t confirmed able to getting out of their very own method.
They’ve been outscored 123-83 throughout Kafka’s 0-4 begin as interim coach, together with a 62-36 deficit throughout their 0-2 stretch because the firing of former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
And the locker room feels largely lifeless, barren and indifferent.
There’s a lovely street matchup on deck at Las Vegas, the place the Giants (0-8 on the street) may need an opportunity to pad some stats, keep away from a winless street season and break the franchise’s probabilities on the No. 1 total decide within the NFL Draft.
However that is as bleak because it will get.
A win over Sunday over the Vikings would at the very least award some credit score to the battle within the bellies of some of the Giants’ leaders, in the event that they pull it off.
In any other case, this appears like a group and a sport that needs to be paying followers to come back and see them — and never the opposite method round.
THIBODEAUX MISSES FIFTH STRAIGHT GAME
Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux sat out a full week of observe once more and can miss his fifth straight sport because of a proper shoulder sprain. Thibodeaux is performing some aggressive on-field working and drill work with out pads, so he nonetheless has an opportunity to return to the sphere as quickly because the Vegas sport. However his absence has been felt weekly. His edge-setting and motor are missed.
