Before the Eagles last drive, and before the Engram drop, the Giants had the ball with the chance to win the game. A touchdown and it's over, running out the clock obviously ices it, and a FG makes it 8 points.
The Giants get the ball deep at their 20 and run Gallman effectively. The first run goes for 14 and a new first down, then another 10 and first down.
On the next 1st and 10 and they run Gallman again (makes sense given the success so far) and he gets 3. Time is ticking down but it's clear the Giants need a first down or the Eagles get the ball back.
I don't usually complain about play calls but I hated the next play where they run Gallman yet again.
1. It seemed obvious, the Eagles crowded the box and played for the run.
2. It felt like the Giants were playing to not lose the game, as opposed to playing for the win.
This was the perfect opportunity to run play action or an RPO. If they hit on that play it's game over, instead it felt like the Giants played scared.
So now we're in a long 3rd down and miss the play to Engram but in real time the turning point felt like that failed 2nd down run.
I think the good coaches like Reid and Belichick go for the jugular in that spot.
Was anyone else frustrated with that call?
He called that perfectly.
His players let him down.
End of story.
He called that perfectly.
His players let him down.
End of story.
Exactly. He forced the Eagles to use a time out and put the team team in a position to win the game.
He called that perfectly.
His players let him down.
End of story.
This is what I lean towards as well. I know it isn't "controversial" to blame the players, but I 100% do. They lost this game several times over.
+1 and Troy Aikman pretty much said the same thing ... 1 guy catches the ball, the other guy doesn’t. End of story.
Engram catches that ball and it is a TD. DB was not catching him.
If anything you could argue that Jones should’ve kept the ball on the play prior to the Engram drop. The play calling was fine.
But when it's 2nd down and 7 in that situation, I'd rather be agressive and pass on 2nd down to try and gain the 7 yards. That way, if it's incomplete or a shorter gain, you can still pass on 3rd down.
It's also a lot harder to gain yardage when the D knows what you're going to do.
On 2nd and 7 they'll stack the box because "the book" says you're going to run. Then on 3rd and 7, they'll expect a pass, making a completion less likely.
When you play not to lose and give your Offensive just one chance to make (in this case) 3rd and 6, it greatly reduces your odds of winning...especially given the Giants' D.
Some would argue that it's riskier to pass on 2nd down, because you could turn the ball over and an incomplete pass stops the clock.
But what is really the riskier option? Passing on 2nd down or giving the ball back to the Eagles with just over 2 minutes to play and expecting the Giants' D to keep them out of the end zone?
I think in general they need to run Jones more and thought this was the prefect situation for it.
Roll him out, give him a couple crossing route as an option or other easy completion. If it is there throw it for the easy completion, if not run it. Also, you send at least one deep, if the defense blows the coverage because they are all about stopping the run, you have a TD.
Giants needed to score. That was obvious. D was gassed. Judge talks the talk but then he coached like a guy with two X chromosomes. Those guys don’t last long in the NFL