Usually stoic, Daniel Jones’ expression was telling.
It painted a picture of confusion on the Giants quarterback’s face as boos rained down at MetLife Stadium after yet another botched play on offense during the team’s humiliating 24-3 “Monday Night Football” loss to the Seahawks, quickly changing to a disappointing realization.
Except this time, it was botched before the play even began.
Trailing 14-3 with 1:14 left in the first half, the Giants faced third-and-11 from their own 24-yard-line desperate to cut their deficit, as Seattle was set to receive the ball to start the second half.
But the Giants opted for an overly cautious play call, and Jones handed the ball off to Matt Breida for a 4-yard gain before punting to close the half.
Fans let their discontent with the conservative decision be heard.
But Daboll revealed after the game that they had called for a pass, and Jones misheard and subsequently delivered the wrong play in the huddle to his teammates.
“That was a miscommunication,” Daboll said. “It was not [the play call]. It was a miscommunication. Daniel thought he heard something, one thing, and it was another thing, and a miscommunication.”
Broadcasts captured Jones looking bewildered while speaking to Daboll on the sideline after the play.
Reading his lips, Jones appears to say, “I thought don’t throw it” before Daboll shakes his head.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has been steadfast throughout the season that he’s the one who relays the play-call to Jones’ headset, though, meaning something was lost in translation between him and Jones.
It’s a microcosm of what could be an emerging disconnect between Daboll, Jones and Kafka, who were all in lockstep most of last year.
A second season together in the same system should have only helped them grow increasingly simpatico, not to different wavelengths.
It was evident again later in the game, when Daboll clearly disagreed with his quarterback’s decision after Jones threw a game-sealing pick-six.
After that pick-six to Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon late in the third quarter, which extended the Giants’ deficit to 21-3 just as they had driven all the way down to the 5-yard line, Daboll could be seen animatedly speaking to Jones as he walked off the field to the sideline.
Jones walked past Daboll toward the bench, and a few moments later the two spoke again, with Daboll showing something to Jones on a tablet.
Daboll then flipped the tablet down on the bench and walked away as Jones continued to look at his own tablet.
Daboll rejected the notion that he showed up Jones.
“Yeah, I’m not doing that,” Daboll said Tuesday. “I wouldn’t throw a tablet there. I just tossed it to the side, because there was obviously a little bit of frustration. But no, I wouldn’t throw a tablet at him.
“I’m just coaching. I’m coaching Daniel when he comes off the field. Again, the tablet thing, I’d have to go back and see it. But I remember exactly what it is. We were talking about a particular play and I just tossed it off to the side.”
The pick-six was one of two interceptions, and three turnovers, for Jones in yet another nightmarish prime-time showing.
Witherspoon jumped the route on a pass intended for Parris Campbell, who also appeared to be on a different page than Jones, and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown, killing any chance of a Giants comeback.
Daboll said on certain plays like that, “I’m not gonna coach everybody the same,” and Jones responded, “I think we’re all frustrated,” when asked about the moment between him and his coach.
It’s similar to how Daboll, Kafka and Jones began their partnership in their very first game together last year, when Daboll could be seen barking at Jones after he was intercepted late in the Giants’ Week 1 win over the Titans.
Daboll said after the game that he had a different read on the defense than Jones told him he did on the play.
Kafka later said it “lit a fire” in Jones and praised him for his accountability.
The trio’s cohesion after that moment helped the Giants reach the divisional round of the playoffs.
But now after Jones’ four-year, $160 million deal, they’re seemingly back at square one.
Can it again spark immediate rewards?
“Daniel is a coachable person,” Daboll said. “If things aren’t going great, again, I’m not exactly sure what the cameras did or did not show, but Daniel is a coachable guy. I like working with Daniel. There’s some things we gotta do better.”