The New York Giants’ hopes of snapping their six-game losing streak on Thanksgiving may have hit an unexpected roadblock, as head coach Brian Daboll revealed that starting quarterback Tommy DeVito is dealing with a sore forearm that casts doubt on his availability for the crucial NFC East showdown against the Dallas Cowboys.
According to Daboll, DeVito is “not 100%” certain to suit up on Thursday, just four days after the Giants suffered a deflating 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The second-year signal-caller, who took over the starting job from Daniel Jones just last week, apparently sustained the injury during the game, in which he completed 21 of 31 passes for 189 yards.
Concerns Mount Over DeVito’s Health
While DeVito managed to finish the contest against the Buccaneers, Daboll noted that the young quarterback took several big hits throughout the game. In fact, DeVito briefly left the field on the Giants’ final drive before returning one play later, only to absorb another heavy blow before time expired.
He just got dinged up a little bit. I think he had the wind knocked out of him back there. He took a couple shots. So, hopefully he’ll be OK.
–Brian Daboll on Tommy DeVito’s injury
Despite the coach’s optimism, it appears that the Giants are preparing for the possibility that DeVito may not be able to answer the bell on Thanksgiving. Daboll confirmed that backup quarterback Drew Lock will take some first-team reps in practice this week, a departure from the coach’s usual approach of giving all the starter’s snaps to the top quarterback.
Giants’ Quarterback Carousel Continues
The uncertainty surrounding DeVito’s status is just the latest twist in what has been a tumultuous season for the Giants’ quarterback room. The team made the surprising decision to bench former first-round pick Daniel Jones in favor of DeVito last week, a move that raised eyebrows around the league considering the latter’s limited experience and undrafted pedigree.
Now, with DeVito’s availability in question, the Giants may be forced to turn to Lock, a former second-round pick who has struggled to find consistency throughout his NFL career. In four seasons with the Denver Broncos, Lock compiled a 59.3% completion percentage, throwing for 4,740 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.
A Thanksgiving Showdown with Playoff Implications
The timing of DeVito’s injury could hardly be worse for the Giants, who desperately need a win on Thanksgiving to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. At 2-9, Big Blue currently sits at the bottom of the NFC East, four games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles.
A loss to the Cowboys, who enter the game with a 6-5 record and are fighting for a Wild Card spot, would all but eliminate the Giants from postseason contention. It would also extend their losing streak to seven games, tying the franchise record set back in 1980.
A Test of Daboll’s Leadership
For Brian Daboll, the uncertainty surrounding his starting quarterback represents yet another challenge in what has been a trying first season as the Giants’ head coach. The former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator was brought in to help turn around a franchise that has made the playoffs just once in the past decade, but so far, the results have been disappointing.
Now, with his team’s season on the brink and his quarterback situation in flux, Daboll will need to rely on all of his coaching acumen to navigate the Giants through this latest storm. Whether DeVito is able to play or not, the coach knows that his team must find a way to perform at a higher level if they hope to salvage anything from this once-promising campaign.
We just need to go out there and execute better. It doesn’t matter who’s under center – we need to block better, run better routes, make better decisions. That’s what it comes down to.
–Brian Daboll on the Giants’ offensive struggles
As the Giants prepare for their Thanksgiving clash with the Cowboys, all eyes will be on Tommy DeVito and his sore forearm. If the young quarterback is unable to go, it will be up to Drew Lock to step in and try to lead Big Blue to a much-needed victory. Either way, one thing is certain: the stakes could not be higher for a Giants team that finds itself at a crossroads, both on and off the field.
