There were not many things to cheer about for Big Blue on Sunday; however, one positive for the NY Giants that more people should be talking about was tight end Darren Waller. The veteran pass-catcher brought in eight of 11 targets for 86 yards on the afternoon and also had an opportunity at a touchdown that was dropped. Waller led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and targets against the Dolphins.
He is now up to 23 receptions for 239 yards through five games this season, which is impressive considering Big Blue's offense has been among the worst in the league. New York fans are still waiting for Waller's first trip to the end zone since joining the team this offseason.
After his standout performance, the 31-year-old TE must keep up the pace to help give the G-Men a shot toward a playoff push. Still, it will be challenging, with quarterback Daniel Jones potentially missing time due to a neck injury and an upcoming meeting with a talented Bills defense.
How bad are things for the Giants’ offense? Darren Waller felt compelled to address it with the defense.
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) October 9, 2023
“I try to make sure I go let the defensive players know that as an offense we have to do more to help you guys out.”
Diving into another bleak loss: https://t.co/dfnykvlMQr
What can we expect from Darren Waller?
Head coach Brian Daboll stated that he is optimistic that DJ's injury is not too serious after speaking with him following the Giants' devastating 31-16 loss to the Dolphins, which is an excellent sign for Big Blue fans as they can use all the help they can get right now after dropping to 1-4 on the season.
Fortunately for the Giants, Jones' injury may not be as severe as people think, star running back Saquon Barkley is nearing a return, and the Bills' secondary is banged up after cornerback Tre'Davious White recently suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. This will be another opportunity for Waller to have a breakout week and prove that he is the Giants' most dangerous weapon.
During training camp, Jones and Waller built strong chemistry and connected on many passes, which got many fans talking about the potential of the Giants' offense this season. Unfortunately, we have not had many opportunities to witness this duo throughout the first five games. There is still time for the former Raiders tight end to turn the page as he gets comfortable with Mike Kafka's offense, and his usage is expected to increase over time.
Loved this adjustment to the football from Darren Waller here - great body control and concentration.
— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) October 9, 2023
It won't be talk about enough b/c the focus is on the negatives right now, but Waller had his best game with the #Giants by far and the usage was very promising.
Needs to be an… pic.twitter.com/mZXH6zdw2x
With Big Blue's schedule becoming less challenging over the next few weeks, it will be interesting to see how the team utilizes Waller in their offensive scheme. The Giants are averaging 12.4 points per game this season, so that it will be important they take advantage of their weapons more if they want to start putting up points. We can expect Waller's involvement to increase, as he could become the spark the Giants desperately need on offense.