4 Brian Daboll mistakes that have cost the Giants early on

When NY Giants fans looked at the schedule when it came out, it's safe to say most of them figured a 1-2 start to the season was more than likely going to be the reality. Maybe a little closer than a 40-0 stinker against the Cowboys, but a win in Arizona and a loss on a Thursday night against the 49ers was always going to happen.

Injuries, of course, have played a role in the sluggish start for the Giants. However, that's far from the only reason. As much as Big Blue Nation loves Brian Daboll, he has been far from perfect to start the year. These uncharacteristic mistakes have proven to be costly:

4. Trusting Shane Lemieux in a primetime spot

This was an all-time bonehead move from Daboll - an absolute masterclass of coaching malpractice. Giants fans around the country were doing spit takes when they saw Shane Lemieux was starting at left guard for the Giants against the 49ers. The offensive line has had a disastrous start to the year when you combine Andrew Thomas' injury and Evan Neal's failure to show growth. The Lemieux start was the icing on the cake.

So, how exactly did Lemieux do in his first start of the year? According to PFF, he finished with a 54.9 run block grade and a 3.8 pass block grade. Yes, you read that correctly. A 3.8. He allowed five pressures, four hurries and a sack.

This is a gross outlier for the elite offensive linemen, but sadly, Lemieux is not that. In three of his four seasons he's finished with a PFF grade of 32.2 or lower. There is no upside to Lemieux getting snaps, so why Daboll believed he was the right choice to start for an injured Ben Bredeson is a mystery. Lemieux shouldn't play another snap for this team.