Deep down, the Giants seem to believe there were two reasons they lost to the Eagles 24-19 on Thursday Night Football.
The first served as the company line from head coach Ben McAdoo, who said that the team didn't perform well enough in "all three phases." He told the Giants: "They had nothing to play for and we gave them something to play for," offensive lineman Justin Pugh said, via The New York Post.
Wide receiver Victor Cruz, while lamenting some of the team's missed opportunities, also noted what was a hidden message among Giants players late Thursday.
"It's every week, we get the same kind of coverage, the same kind of physical play and to go along with it we get the same no-calls," wideout Victor Cruz said. "We threw it 63 times, no holding calls, no pass interferences."
While the ire against officials was more directed at a roughing the passer call on Olivier Vernon, this is not the first time we've heard one of the Giants receivers complaining about the physical nature of the bracket-style coverage employed to stop Odell Beckham and Co. Beckham had 11 catches for 150 yards on Thursday, with Cruz posting 84 yards on eight catches. Cruz's 13 targets were by far a season high.
By the numbers, it was a fantastic performance for the receivers but all that talent comes with a caveat: teams are going to find any way they can to beat you. At this time of year it may serve as an advantage for the Giants to get the word out before the playoffs start. Sometimes addressing referee issues publicly can at least put your gripes on the table for an official to consider upon re-watching the game. The Giants may hope that can be the case here.
