NFL Mailbag: Does Brian Daboll Survive, Is Miami Renaissance Real, And A Trump Dance Question
The New York Giants should thank God the New York Jets exist because, otherwise, they would be the most disastrous major professional sports team in the Big Apple. And that's a bad thing to be in the nation's biggest media market.
So on the same week the Jets fired general manager Joe Douglas and owner Woody Johnson is getting torched from right inside his own building, the Giants said, "hold my beer."
Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer shared. (Credit: Getty Images)
Giants To Jets: Hold My Beer
They've benched Daniel Jones primarily because of a $23 million injury guarantee that kicks in next March if he were to get injured the remainder of this season. The Giants are replacing Jones next year and have no intention of having him go out with extra guaranteed money.
The Giants insist this is strictly a football decision.
"We're going to evaluate everything the rest of the week and the decisions we make will be football decisions," general manager Joe Schoen said last week before the predictable benching.
The problem is players see what's happening. Several believe this is a business decision.
So in that atmosphere, the 2-8 Giants are hoping to rally and that's where we pick up this week's All That And A Bag Of NFL Mail.
Daniel Jones of the New York Giants throws the ball during the NFL Munich Game 2024 between New York Giants and Carolina Panthers at Allianz Arena on November 10, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by F. Noever/FC Bayern via Getty Images)
Can Brian Daboll Save His Job?
Q. Armando,
I have three Giants questions, paisan.
Do you agree the Giants had to bench Daniel Jones?
Do you think Tommy Cutlets can be good?
Is Brian Daboll getting fired?
— Joey R., Norwalk, CT.
A. Joey, the most important answer first:
Daboll will be the head coach of the New York Giants next season if he wins at the end of this season. He's coaching for his job. Simple as that. They've got seven games left. Dude, win 4 games. Or win the final 3 to give ownership a reason to feel good about keeping you.
As to Jones, I've never been a fan. He reminds me of a quarterback I covered on a daily basis years ago – Ryan Tannehill. Except Tannehill was more athletic, had more spark to him, and actually won games despite playing for multiple coaches in multiple systems.
As to Tommy DeVito, he's an awesome story. The guy has charisma and courage. I love that about him. Having said that, the Giants will draft a quarterback next year. At this stage, DeVito is not the long-term plan.
Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa. (Getty Images)
Are The Dolphins Really Back?
Q. Hey Mando,
You covered the Dolphins for a long time, and you were the best I read, so I feel like you're the guy to give me the straight truth. Do you think the Dolphins have corrected their issues this year and are going to make the playoffs?
I'm not sure I buy all the optimism from fans and the beat writers saying the team is good again.
– Antonio, Plantation, FL.
A. Antonio, I'm not sure I buy it either after wins against two teams with a combined 7-13 record, but the beauty of the NFL season is it tells us whether everything we think we know is true or not. It also tells the teams and the beat writers, by the way.
The Dolphins have to come out of their games against Green Bay, Houston and San Francisco with multiple wins because they gave themselves such little room for error earlier this season.
I look at the AFC standings and see no team making the playoffs with a losing record. So the Dolphins must win at least five of their final seven games to have any hope of getting in as a wildcard. They haven't won five of seven games at any previous stretch this season.
Why Ask the NFL About Trump?
And finally, this on my story about the NFL having "no issue" with players doing the Trump Dance the last couple of weeks:
Q. Why would anyone ask the NFL if they did have an issue?
– Chris Carlson
A. To get an answer, Chris.