NY Jets game contributed to downfall of Brian Daboll and the Giants

The NY Jets may have been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2023 season, but their crosstown rivals, the New York Giants, might still be the bigger clown show — despite what the national media might tell you.

Numerous reports have emerged in recent days that paint Giants head coach Brian Daboll in a negative light following the departure of now-former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

Daboll's beef with Martindale throughout the 2023 season wasn't exactly a well-kept secret, but the information that has come out since Martindale left has tanked the image of the 2022 AP Coach of the Year.

In fact, the Giants' loss to the Jets in Week 8 of this past season might have been the impetus for Martindale's eventual departure from the organization.

How the NY Jets contributed to the downfall of Brian Daboll, Wink Martindale, and the Giants

Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News released a comprehensive report about Daboll's issues on Monday, and in the report was a note about Daboll's reaction to his team's embarrassing loss to the Jets earlier in the year.

Daboll directly blamed Martindale for losing the Jets game, screaming at his coordinator and saying, "You’re gonna lose this game just like you lost us the Jets game," following a roughing the passer penalty in the Giants' Week 11 game against the Washington Commanders.

This is, of course, despite the fact that Daboll's offense produced just 10 points in that game. Daboll's awful clock management late in the game is the only reason the Jets even had a chance to force overtime and eventually win.

Daboll, however, seems to believe that loss was on Martindale — and he made that very clear with his numerous sideline blow-ups. That game was a microcosm of Daboll's persistent finger-pointing and blame-deflecting throughout the season, per Leonard.

In many ways, that game seems to have been the beginning of the end of Martindale's time with the Giants. His relationship with Daboll only continued to deteriorate in the following weeks.

Now, the Giants are scrambling to replace one of the best defensive minds in the sport, all because their head coach drove him out of town. The Jets seem to have played a small but not-so-insignificant part in that.