Could a humiliating defeat to the Cowboys on Thursday cost the Giants’ leadership their jobs?

The New York Giants find themselves at a crucial juncture as they prepare to face the Dallas Cowboys this Thursday. Following a painful loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Giants’ poor performance could set the stage for sweeping changes. If the Giants are embarrassed again, there may be little room left for coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen to keep their jobs beyond this season.

A Season in Decline

At 2-9, the Giants are a far cry from the promising start they had when Daboll and Schoen took over. The team’s performance over the past two seasons has been a steady decline, with a dismal 10-25-1 record since their 7-2 start. What’s worse is that the talent on this roster—combined with the decisions made under Daboll and Schoen—seems to be regressing, not improving.

What was supposed to be a building process in Year 3 has instead become a nightmare. Fans have seen multiple quarterbacks fail to spark the offense, while key players like Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney are performing at career highs with other teams—embarrassing the Giants in the process. On top of that, injuries are ravaging the team, further complicating matters. Now, Drew Lock might be the third starting quarterback in as many weeks, and Tim Boyle is one snap away from being under center.

A Question of Leadership

For Daboll and Schoen, the pressure is mounting. The current state of the team is far from acceptable, and the constant infighting and finger-pointing among players only intensifies the problem. Players have called out their teammates for lack of effort, with some even criticizing Daboll’s leadership. Yet, as the Giants try to regroup, the question lingers: Can this team still pull together to show some form of progress?

Daboll, who is supposed to be a quarterback whisperer, has seen his once-promising coaching tenure falter. His ability to motivate, make necessary adjustments, and push the team to improve is now being questioned. His coaching staff, too, has been under scrutiny. If the players are unable to execute basic techniques or assignments, it reflects poorly on both the coaching staff and the management that assembled this team.

Effort vs. Execution

After Sunday’s loss, Daboll and his players have been quick to clarify that the defeat wasn’t a result of lack of effort, but rather a failure in execution. Still, after 12 weeks, that’s hardly a reassuring explanation. If players aren’t executing simple assignments and plays, questions need to be asked about whether they’ve been prepared properly.

At this stage in the season, mistakes are inevitable—especially for a young team like the Giants. But at the professional level, players should be able to execute the basics. The blame falls not only on the coaching staff but on the players themselves. Jon Runyan’s words highlight the tension within the team, as he stated, “You can only do so much for them.” He points out that every player needs to take ownership of their position and contribute to the team as a whole.

The Fate of Schoen and Daboll

It’s clear that Schoen and Daboll face a precarious future. Their decisions to move on from key players like Barkley and McKinney may have made sense at the time, but the results haven’t been as expected. Meanwhile, Schoen’s first-round picks in his drafts have failed to pay off as hoped, further complicating the rebuilding process.

Should the Giants continue to spiral, it seems inevitable that both Daboll and Schoen will pay the price. Whether it’s due to poor execution, questionable leadership, or decisions that have backfired, the clock is ticking on their tenure. The team’s performance over the final weeks of the season will likely determine whether they get a chance to fix the issues or if ownership decides to hit the reset button once again.

The Road Ahead

The Giants’ Thursday game against the Cowboys could serve as the tipping point for Daboll and Schoen’s futures. They need to show some form of improvement—not just in their record, but in how the team plays. The organization is looking for any reason to stay the course, but if another humiliating loss follows, it could be the end of the line for the current regime.

Giants fans can only wait and hope that their team will show more than just effort—they need to see execution. The fate of the Giants’ leadership rests on how the team responds, and whether they can pull off a much-needed turnaround before the season is lost entirely.