Pat Shurmur ‘liked our chances’ on Giants’ failed two-point play
PHILADELPHIA — The Giants scored on their first offensive possession and as they lined up for the extra point, the Eagles were called for having 12 men in the huddle. That moved the ball to the 1-yard line and prompted coach Pat Shurmur to take his kicking unit off the field and go for the two-point conversion.
It failed when Eli Manning’s pass to fullback Eli Penny was well-covered by safety Malcolm Jenkins.
“He kind of fooled me,’’ Manning said after Sunday’s 25-22 loss to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. “He played it well.’’
Manning missed tight end Rhett Ellison, who was alone in the end zone.
“I liked our chances of getting it there,’’ Shurmur said. “I think we had a guy running wide open. I think at that point, it makes sense from the 1 [-yard line]. I was just feeling it. It would’ve been really nice if it was 8-0 but it ended up being 6-0.’’
A 29-yard pass to Ellison set the Giants up but they settled for a 29-yard field goal from Aldrick Rosas to tie it at 22 with 5:49 to go. Shurmur berated the officials for not calling what appeared to be a blatant holding penalty on cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc, who grabbed Odell Beckham Jr.’s jersey on a third-down route that ended with Beckham unable to haul in a pass in the back of the end zone. Beckham, who had words with the official after the no-call, said, “I play receiver, not referee. Whether it was pass interference of not, it really does not matter. I have to try and make a play.’’
Beckham missed the first offensive series of the second half, as he was inside the locker room receiving intravenous fluids because of dehydration. This has happened in a handful of games, but this was the first time Beckham could not get back on the field for the start of the second half.
“I was fine and then I went out for the second half and I went to take off running and I just felt that bite in the calf and once you cramp in the calf it’s over with,’’ Beckham said.
see also
Giants report card: The offense was a second-half mess
Grades from the Giants’ 25-22 loss to the Eagles on…
Since 2008, the Eagles are the dominators of this rivalry; the Giants are 4-17 in the past 21 games with their closest (in terms of distance) division opponent. The last time the Giants won in Philly? Oct. 27, 2013.
On third-and-18 with 5:16 remaining, Manning burned the Giants’ first timeout — a timeout they could have used later in the fourth quarter.
“It was just that the play got in but it was loud and there was one little thing about the play that didn’t get communicated properly,’’ Shurmur said.
“I just kind of screwed up the call a little bit there,” Manning said.
TE Evan Engram suffered a hamstring injury in pregame warmups and stood on the sideline the entire game. … Punt returner Quadree Henderson suffered a season-ending fractured shoulder. … LB B.J. Goodson left with a neck stinger. … Rookie fifth-round pick RJ McIntosh made his NFL debut. … Rookie QB Kyle Lauletta was inactive for the 11th consecutive game.
