Penalties Continue to Haunt Team Judge
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Andrew Rosario
When the New York Football Giants (2-5) went on the road to face the struggling Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Chiefs (3-4) they were feeling good about themselves after taking out the Carolina Panthers in a laugher. It was a rare prime time Monday night game for Big Blue who were looking to win two straight games for the first time since they won 4 in a row (11-8 thru 12-6) last year. Many pre-season “experts” picked the Chiefs to represent the AFC in this year’s Super Bowl while the Giants were hoping to do better than their 6-10 record from last year. Unfortunately, like earlier games against Washington and Atlanta, the Giants would commit costly penalties and could not come up with defensive stops when they needed them in the 20-17 loss.
Mahomes wanted to set the tone the first time they touched the ball. He moved them 70 yards in 14 plays to the Giants 5-yard line. Looking for wide receiver Josh Gordon in the end zone, Mahomes (29 of 48, 275 yards, 1 td and 1 int.) pass hits off the hands of Gordon as Giants cornerback Julian Love comes down with the interception. 2-plays later, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (22 of 32, 222 yards, 2 td’s and 1 int.) gives the ball right back as his pass intended for wide receiver Darius Slayton is picked off by linebacker Willie Gay, Jr. 5-plays later, Mahomes finds Tyreek Hill in the back off the end zone for the 6-yard touchdown pass giving them a early 7-0 lead.
After both teams punted, Big Blue would tie the score at 7 going 85 yards in 10 plays culminating in a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph. For the second time in the first half, both teams would punt before the Chiefs would take another lead. This time, Mahomes moves them 68 yards in 12 plays and watched as running back Derrick Gore runs it in from 3-yards out. New York cuts the lead to 4 (14-10) as Graham Gano connects on a 23-yard field goal right before the half. The Giants took their final lead of the game (17-14) in the third quarter after Jones connects with tight end Evan Engram for the 5-yard touchdown reception. Kansas City responded with a Harrison Butker 36-yard field goal tying the game at 17. Penalties would be their undoing.
New York was moving the ball when Jones connects with full back Elijaah Penny who gains 16 yards. Penny then gets hit with a 15-yard taunting penalty and the Giants were forced to punt. With 4:29 left, the defense comes up with a big play only to be betrayed by another penalty. Mahomes looks downfield for wide receiver Byron Pringle. Giants cornerback Darnay Holmes intercepts the pass but outside linebacker Oshane Ximines is called for offsides. Said second year head coach Joe Judge of the penalty, “we just can’t have penalties like that.” A questionable facemask penalty on linebacker Tae Crowder after a completed pass from Mahomes to tight end Travis Kelcie added 15 more yards setting up the 34-yard Butker game winning field goal.
Second year head coach Joe Judge was hired as a disciplinarian who stressed playing hard but in control. Looking at their losses, the team has been the total opposite costing them games they could have won. Said Judge after, “I’m proud of a lot of things we put on the field today. There’s a lot of ways we want to play the game that showed up on the field today that carried over. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough.”
With every loss, the New York Giants season is slipping away adding up to another losing season. Every NFL team is dealing with injuries to key players and the Giants are no exception. That doesn’t take away from the fact they have made critical mistakes that ultimately prevents them from coming away with wins. “We gotta make sure we finish games better,” said Judge.
New York host the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday who are coming off a bye week. They are currently in first place in the AFC west with a 5-2 record.
