The New York Giants are 2-6 and blaming inanimate objects for their failure.
Coach Joe Judge’s timeout mismanagement was on full display Monday night when he opted not to stop the clock before the 2-minute warning, leaving his offense less time to drive for a potential game-tying field goal (or game-winning touchdown, but again, Giants, so definitely the former).
That drive ended with QB Daniel Jones getting sacked on fourth down, and the game ended with the Chiefs kneeling out the clock. After the game, Judge blamed the headsets for his frivolous use of timeouts, saying communication problems messed up substitution packages and forced his hand.
Judge also said this has happened in every game this year, but claimed he didn’t want to “make this about the stupid headsets.”
Too late.
You’re 39 years old, Joe, saying you got hacked is reserved for athletes (and politicians) who don’t know how to use DMs, not head coaches who don’t know how to use headsets. Also, the NFL would like you to know that their Bose headsets are awesome and are not faulty. The league issued a terse statement rebuking the Giants coach’s claims (but not terse enough to omit the product placement):
But if Judge wants to make it about something other than his poorly performing football team, this is what he should have done. He should have pointed to “progress,” like only losing to the defending AFC champs on the road by 3, or their two-game streak of not allowing a TD before the half. (They’ve been outscored 42-0 in the last two minutes of the first half this season.)
I’m searching for answers like Eli Manning on the Monday Night Football ManningCast after Jon Stewart asked him, “What exactly (is the offensive line) built for, Eli? Because I don’t think it’s blocking.”
But unlike Eli, I don’t have Peyton or a guest to bail me out of coming up with an answer for this Giants team. Maybe that’s what Judge should do the next time he wants to blame technology — the Manning’s had no trouble booking New York cameos.
“Joe, the NFL says its Bose headsets are immaculate and aren’t to blame for the communication breakdown, and also says you didn’t notify anyone of the issue during the game. What happened?”
“Umm, here’s Michael Strahan.”
Monday night’s ManningCast had to be especially depressing for New York fans, as Eli and Co. came off every bit as angry/disappointed as actual Giants fans do. Here’s a text I received via a Giant’s thread I’m on:
“Joe Burrow got fucking throat punched and was still able to communicate. Blaming headsets is ludicrous.”
OK, I lied, I sent that to the thread. However, the texts from the true diehards were too long to repeat. I would say Judge is out of his depth, but he’s already used a submarine analogy, so I’m pretty sure he knows the vessel is taking on water.
We’re halfway through the season and Daniel Jones is the Giants’ leading rusher, the defense isn’t bailing out anyone, flags have negated game-winning plays, Giants fans are starting to sound like Knicks fans used to and Judge can’t hear any of it — or maybe it’s just the headset? (Also, #FireGettleman.)