New York Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy made clear this week that the lessons from last Sunday’s tie with the Washington Commanders have already shaped the message inside the building. The Giants showed resilience after falling behind, but Nagy said the priority has shifted toward avoiding those early deficits.
“You never like to have a tie, but for us to be able to work together, we’re working through some things,” Nagy told reporters on Thursday. “I think it was good to see that resiliency from the crew.
"That’s kind of been our message all week: Making sure that they understand the importance of starting faster. You get behind like that, and you’ve got to play from behind. We talked last week about the four-minute drill and finishing
the game, and now this week it’s about starting faster.”
That early deficit also underscored a larger problem that has lingered through the first five games. The run game remains a work in progress, and Nagy acknowledged the need for better results, particularly on first down, if the offense is going to stay balanced and avoid predictable situations.
“A little bit of a work in progress, but with that also, for us, what we want to do is be able to look into why that is, and we think we have some answers,” Nagy said. “I’m not going to get into that publicly, but I do believe that we’re on our way into doing some things.
"We just got to keep staying with it, trust with what we’re going with, and be able to be balanced when we play football. We can’t just be all run or all pass. We got to be able to stay balanced.”
Nagy identified the specific down-and-distance issue that continues to put the offense in difficult spots.
“We have to be better on first down running the football,” Nagy said. “We can’t stay in this second and eight, second and 10, second and seven, but we know that. So, what are we going to do about it? How are we going to fix that? And that’s our number one challenge, is to do that. But then we also can’t be predictable, so that’s my job as a play caller to make sure that I protect us that way and protect the players.”
He said the staff has remained open to adjustments rather than forcing a rigid approach.
“You got to be able to be flexible with the players, with your scheme, with the coaches. You can’t be stubborn,” Nagy said. “That’s probably going into this whole process one of our greatest strengths as coaches that I’ve noticed since I’ve gotten here is we got some coaches that really want to do what’s best for the players and for us. And then the players, too. I think it’s very important for the players to have a voice in this thing.”
Ball security has drawn separate attention, particularly with Cam Skattebo. Nagy said his confidence in the back has not wavered even as the league-wide emphasis on the peanut punch continues to create problems.
“I’ll never lose confidence in those guys. We don’t want that, but I will never lose confidence in those guys because they’re going to make plays for us,” Nagy said. “You’re obviously talking about Skatt, speaking to him specifically. Love the guy to death. I know how much he cares. I know how much he wants it. Everyone here is seeing what this NFL has become right now with that peanut punch. It’s across the board.
"So, it’s a different style of game. They’re being taught to punch the ball out, and obviously in that situation, Skatt knows more than anybody that we can’t have that happen, and it’s just unacceptable. He knows that, but that cannot happen again, and it’s not going to happen.”
The staff has continued to drill proper technique and will keep doing so, Nagy said. He described a measured process that emphasizes the correction without overdoing it the day after.
“You emphasize it. You practice it, which we do every week. Coach Harbs is just so good with that. We make sure every practice that we have a bunch of different drills that we work,” Nagy said. “We work it, and you have to speak it into existence.
"There’s that fine line of making sure that after the game, Skatt knows everyone’s upset of what happened. He gets that. So, there’s that fine line of knowing and listen the next day on Monday or Tuesday when you show it. Explain it, but you don’t beat it down to where now all of a sudden, he’s just got to do it. It’s simple. Do it. Just cover the ball with two hands, especially in that moment, and then we just got to emphasize it as coaches.”
For Nagy, the path forward this week is straightforward: Start faster, run the ball more effectively on first down, and protect it when the Giants do. Those areas will determine whether the resilience shown against Washington becomes a consistent starting point rather than a recovery tool.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants' Matt Nagy prioritizing faster starts, fixing run game
