970x125
PHILADELPHIA — The referees called it “forward progress,” but the Giants called it something more profane.
“That’s some bulls–t, man,” Kayvon Thibodeaux said.
With the score of Sunday’s game against the Eagles tied early in the second quarter, Jalen Hurts tried a Tush Push on fourth-and-inches.
He crossed the first-down marker, but Thibodeaux ripped the ball out of Hurts’ hands.
“The refs kind of have a hard job because they don’t know when to stop it,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s tough on defense because you stop the first surge, the ref doesn’t blow the whistle. You get the ball out and you take it, now all of a sudden it’s forward progress.”
Thibodeaux said the officials told him that forward progress was ruled before Hurts reached out the ball.
“Sounds like some bulls–t to me, and that’s the hard part about the situation,” Thibodeaux said before teammate Brian Burns reminded him of the fine that might come his way. “Sorry. I mean, ‘That was a great call by the ref.’ ”
Giants head coach Brian Daboll tried to challenge but was told forward progress is not reviewable. Not taking no for an answer, he challenged the spot of the ball — hoping for a turnover on downs — and lost.
“I’ll just say our guys upstairs were pretty adamant about challenging the play,” Daboll said. “I have a lot of trust and faith in them, and it didn’t work out. Not going to get into any particulars, though.”
The Tush Push is the most controversial play in the NFL. The Giants were one of the 22 teams that voted for banning it (24 were needed) in the offseason.
“I ain’t going to get fined,” Burns said. “It is tricky. Two weeks ago, they allowed them to push the pile [against us]. Now, we stopped the surge, and they blow the whistle quick. Thibs had a heads-up play by getting the ball out. I really feel like that should’ve been a turnover. Weird call.”
The Eagles soon turned the first down into a tiebreaking touchdown en route to a 38-20 win.
CB Cor’Dale Flott (concussion) missed the second half. Korie Black, the rookie seventh-round pick who was just reacquired from the Jets practice squad, took his place and surrendered a touchdown.
TE Daniel Bellinger (neck) did not play in the fourth quarter.
RT Jermaine Eluemunor missed the final play of the first half to get looked at in the locker room.
“Just beat up a little bit,” Eluemunor said.
WR Jalin Hyatt, a 2023 third-round pick, was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career as the Giants went with undrafted rookie Beaux Collins and practice-squad elevation Lil’Jordan Humphrey as backup receivers.
Humphrey needs to be added to the 53-man roster to play next Sunday.
The other inactives were S Jevón Holland, CB Paulson Adebo — both injured — and healthy scratches OG Evan Neal, OT James Hudson III and QB Jameis Winston.
