PHILADELPHIA — Across the street from a casino, Brian Daboll gambled big and lost badly.
The Giants’ first-year head coach was deserted Saturday night by the magic touch that followed him all season: from a bold decision to go for a winning two-point conversion in the season opener through two fourth-down conversions last week that helped run out the clock in a playoff win over the Vikings.
The analytics suggested that going for it on fourth-and-8 from the Eagles’ 40 instead of punting, midway through the first quarter, was a coin flip. The naked eye, however, immediately knew it was a risk not worth taking if the goal was to stay close for as long as possible.
The play failed as Daniel Jones was sacked, and the Eagles, starting from their own 48, quickly scored their second touchdown in as many offensive possessions on their way to a 38-7 rout in the NFC divisional round at Lincoln Financial Field (located across from the Live! Casino & Hotel).
Brian Daboll walks the sideline during the Giants’ loss to the Eagle on Saturday.Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostPerhaps last week against the Vikings, when the Giants responded with a touchdown after allowing Minnesota a game-opening TD, was on his mind. Daboll left his offense on the field even after Jones had been sacked on third-and-3 to take a field goal out of the equation.
“I knew what the line was for our kicker and it was past that,” Daboll said. “I felt good about the play that we had worked on throughout the week. Just didn’t get it done.”
Or maybe Daboll just realized that in order for the NFC’s No. 6 seed to upset the No. 1 seed — and for the Giants to beat the Eagles for just the seventh time in 31 tries — he needed some craziness to overcome a significant talent disparity.
The win percentage differential was marginal for each of Daboll’s three feasible choices: go for the first down (14.1 percent), punt (13.3 percent), field goal (13.9 percent), according to ESPN. The success rate of a fourth-down try was 35 percent compared to 41 percent on a field goal, the numbers said.
“We’ve been an aggressive team all year,” running back Saquon Barkley said. “I like the call. We’ve got to find a way to get the first down.”
The variable that was hard to account for is the advantage the dominant Eagles pass rush has over the vulnerable Giants offensive line when Jones is sure to be confined to the pocket. Right tackle Evan Neal was pushed back on the edge and center Jon Feliciano could not handle Haason Reddick’s surprise inside rush. Reddick notched his second sack in as many plays and gave the ball to the Eagles 2 yards shy of midfield.
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones #8 is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick #7 during the first half.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post“They covered all five guys and ran a game,” Feliciano said. “We picked up the game initially, and they kept working and got the sack. We have to have Dabes’ back there.”
Daboll might have wanted a do-over by the time that the Eagles drove 52 yards on eight plays in 4:18 to open up a 14-0 lead. Especially considering his conservative decision, with the Giants trailing 28-7, to punt on a fourth-and-6 from their own 42-yard line with 13:21 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“They hadn’t scored yet in that half,” Daboll said. “I’m counting on the defense, with them so backed up, to maybe get a three-and-out. Probably could’ve went for it, but really weren’t executing well enough to, either.”
