Ben McAdoo wants explanation on two potentially game-changing calls
Head coach Ben McAdoo of the Giants looks on from the sidelines against the Buccaneers on Oct. 1, 2017, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Credit: Getty Images / Brian Blanco
The Giants did not lose any yardage due to penalty in Sunday’s loss to the Bucs, the first time that’s happened for them since 1974. But there were still two calls against them that miffed coach Ben McAdoo and he plans to send them to the league for clarification.
The first was the offsetting pass interference calls on a play in the end zone in the fourth quarter between Mike Evans and Janoris Jenkins. Evans was flagged first for offensive pass interference. Later in the play, Jenkins, who clearly was tugging at Evans’ T-shirt, was called for the defensive interference.
“We’re going to send that in and see what kind of feedback we can get,” McAdoo said on his Monday conference call. “I think it’s challenging. When it’s OPI, then the defender just kind of hangs on for dear life at that point. I think that’s a tough two-way call. There’s not really much the defender can do at that point. You’re just playing through.”
The play was critical because on the next snap, Jameis Winston hit Cameron Brate for a 14-yard touchdown that gave the Bucs a 22-17 lead. Had the penalty against Evans stuck, the Bucs would have faced third-and-20 from the 24 rather than replaying the down as second-and-10 from the 14.
The Giants did come back and retook the lead 23-22 later in the quarter, but their two-point conversion attempt failed when officials flagged Odell Beckham Jr. for an illegal touch, saying he stepped out of the back of the end zone before catching the pass.
“A lot of defenders now are working to push receivers out of bounds,” McAdoo said. “And again, we are going to send that one in and see where the line of being physical and being pass interference, where that line is. Because he was being pretty physical with Odell there.”
A simple plan
McAdoo said one of the adjustments he and the coaching staff will make to try to get out of this four-game funk is to not bog the players down with more thinking than is needed.
“We have to go back and simplify,” McAdoo said. “Simplify what we are doing schematically and let these guys go out and play and showcase their ability . . . I don’t believe things are too complicated. I’m saying what you do at this point is you simplify.”
Giant steps
X-rays on the ribs of RB Paul Perkins showed no break and McAdoo said he has a contusion in that area. McAdoo did not have any significant updates on other injuries from the game. DE Olivier Vernon left after aggravating his existing ankle injury, C Weston Richburg is in concussion protocol, and WR Odell Beckham Jr. injured both his right index finger and the ankle he sprained in the preseason. “Odell is sore,” McAdoo said. “He’s fighting through a bunch of things.” Beckham said after Sunday’s game that he should be OK.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
