New York Giants continue to struggle with vertical passing game

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is frustrated with his team’s inability to execute explosive plays, especially in the vertical passing game.

“Our inability, I would say this game, to generate explosive plays, whether that’s through the run or through the air is not where I want it to be right now. So, we’ll keep doing it. Keep calling them. And we just got to keep on improving in that area,” he told reporters on Monday.

The Giants scored just seven points against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals defense on Sunday night.

There were plenty of misfires and a number of miscommunications both short and long as quarterback Daniel Jones tried to make something happen.

Jones threw deep five times in the game, completing none. One time each to Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton and three times to speedster Jalin Hyatt.

Second Quarter

• 3-8-NYG 29 :(12:53) (Shotgun) D.Jones pass incomplete deep left to W.Robinson
• 1-10-NYG 40 (8:16) (Shotgun) D.Jones pass incomplete deep right to D.Slayton.
• 1-14-NYG 5 (2:45) (Shotgun) D.Jones pass incomplete deep left to J.Hyatt.

Fourth Quarter 

• 2-3-NYG 45 (5:49) (Shotgun) D.Jones pass incomplete deep left to J.Hyatt
• 3-16-NYG 24 1:41) (Shotgun) D.Jones pass incomplete deep left to J.Hyatt

The longest gains on the evening were four 15-yard passes — two to Robinson, one to Slayton, and one to tight end Theo Johnson.

The lack of explosive plays can wear on an offense as Jones noted after the game Sunday night.

“It makes it tough,” he said. “It makes it tough when you have to do that in this league. I think credit to their defense, their scheme and their plan is to prevent some of those plays, but we’ve got to execute and find a way to generate some of them.”

Daboll was asked on Sunday night what his thoughts were on whiffing on all of the deep shots in the game.

“Look, you’re not going to be an 80 percent completion rate when you throw deep balls. You’re going to hit some, you’re going to miss some,” he said. “Obviously, they help a great deal in terms of ending drives in points when you hit them. Whether that’s catch and run, like it was on the one we got called back, or a downfield shot to Wan’Dale on the crosser. Whatever it may be. We’ll keep working at it.”

The absence of star rookie wideout Malik Nabers also might have something to do with the dearth of big plays. Nabers may have caught some of those deep passes as he exhibits more of an aggressive style than the others and attacks the ball.