Giants coach Brian Daboll is dealing with a lot right now: fan pushback on conservative play-calling at the end of Week 13, uncertain playoff chances after a tie with the Commanders, and now disgruntled players in his own locker room. At least two players, linebacker Tae Crowder and cornerback Rodarius Williams, took to Twitter after Sunday's game seemingly to vent about reduced playing time. In response, Daboll has pledged to conduct some "private conversations," per the New York Post.
Crowder, who opened the year as a starting inside linebacker after making 17 starts in 2021, saw just 26 snaps against the Commanders in Week 13 -- all of them on special teams. After New York tied Washington, he posted, "Free me." Williams, a 2021 sixth-round draft pick who opened the year recovering from a torn ACL, didn't see a single snap on Sunday. His message, while not directly criticizing his role, was interpreted to stem from his absence on the field: "I'ma just sleep this off (because) this can't be real ... I'm trying to stay afloat. It's hard, no lie. I just swallowed the hardest pill of my life."
Daboll, however, doesn't appear overly concerned about the opinions.
"Each week," he said, per the Post, "we sit down, we talk -- the defensive guys and I, and we figure out who we think we want in there for that particular week. The guys that were in there this week were the guys we wanted in there."
No matter who's in there, the Giants need to turn things around if they want to remain in the playoff picture. At 7-4-1 after Sunday's tie, they are currently the No. 6 seed in the NFC, but the Seahawks (7-5), Commanders (7-5-1), Lions (5-7) and Packers (5-8) are all within striking distance in the wild card race.
