New York Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay decried first-year head coach Brian Daboll’s decision to focus on wideouts Richie James and David Sills in the first two weeks of the season.

Golladay, the team’s highest-paid receiver in the second year of a four-year, $72 million contract, was irate after not being targeted by quarterback Daniel Jones in Week 2. “I should be playing regardless. That’s a fact,” Golladay said.

When the opportunity came against the Dallas Cowboys on “Monday Night Football,” Golladay dropped it. Quite literally.

On third down in the fourth quarter, Jones targeted Golladay for the third time in the game on an in-cutting route with room to run. Jones put the ball on Golladay’s hands but the third-and-13 pass was dropped.

“Me just trying to make a play for the team and get up the field. I was running before I really secured the ball,” Golladay said after the game. “That’s pretty much all that that was. That’s stuff that can’t happen, especially when 8 is pretty much doing everything to get us the ball and to get us in position to win the football game. I want to be a guy that can make that play, so I definitely put that on myself. It was third down and that can’t happen.

“It’s very difficult. I’m beating myself up about it. I definitely wish I could have it back.”

Daboll never went back to Golladay, who didn’t play another snap in Monday’s 23-16 home loss to the Cowboys.

“He’s trying to put his best foot forward,” Daboll said Tuesday.

But with Sterling Shepard out for the rest of the season with a torn left ACL, the Giants might need to ignore Golladay’s desire to be traded. He was signed by previous general manager Dave Gettleman to provide big plays down the field.

But the Giants have only one pass play this season over 25 yards; Shepard scored on a 65-yard connection with Jones in Week 1.

“We’ll miss him,” Daboll said of Shepherd, who battled to return from a ruptured Achilles and is the longest-tenured member of the Giants. “He’s a tremendous person. I feel terrible for him.”

Daboll said Tuesday the Giants are looking first at their in-house options at wide receiver before considering any other transactions.

James leads the Giants with 14 receptions (17 targets) and Sills has five receptions for 57 yards (eight targets). Golladay hasn’t caught a pass since Week 1 and stands at two receptions (five targets) in three games.

–Field Level Media