New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart steps back to pass before throwing a crucial interception in a meltdown loss vs the Denver Broncos. Photo Credit: CBS Photo Credit: CBS
By Matt Clapp on

The New York Giants lost to the Denver Broncos in mind-blowing fashion on Sunday. After leading 19-0 entering the fourth quarter, the Giants lost 33-32 to the Broncos. Denver erased an 18-point deficit with under six minutes remaining to stunningly come away with a win.

The sports media world has had plenty to say about the Broncos’ insane comeback victory, with a lot of focus being on the Giants’ brutal meltdown. And Giants legend Tiki Barber unleashed a rant on WFAN about the loss, particularly frustrated with a play call from New York in the fourth quarter.

With 4:56 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Giants had a 26-16 lead and third-and-five at their own 35-yard line. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart proceeded to throw an interception, which Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad returned to the 19-yard line. Four plays later, the Broncos would score a touchdown.

Barber couldn’t believe the Giants called a pass for a rookie quarterback with a double-digit lead and under five minutes remaining, and he referred to the decision as a “coaching failure.”

“Offensive, defensive, and special-team failure,” Barber began. “And I’ll throw in, for good measure, a coaching failure for this team. And it’s why you lose on the road to the Denver Broncos, in a game that you controlled from the very beginning until just under two minutes to go, when you gave up the lead for the very first time. There’s only one play that sits in my craw and makes me scream and yell at the top of my lungs.”

“The Giants have a 10-point lead; read that as two-possession lead,” Barber continued. “There’s just under five minutes left to go when they get the football. And the Denver Broncos have three timeouts remaining. The only thing you have to do on that drive is get them to use all three of your timeouts and not turn the football over.

“And so on first down, you run the ball as you’re supposed to with Cam Skattebo; you get a couple yards. On second down, you run the ball with Cam Skattebo; you get a few more yards. So, it’s [third-and-five], and Sean Payton has used two of those timeouts. On that third down, the only play that you call… and I don’t know if this is Mike Kafka trying to be cute; I don’t know if this is Brian Daboll trying to be aggressive; I don’t know if this is Jaxson Dart trying to be a hero… The only thing you do on that play is run the ball so that you force the Denver Broncos to use a third timeout.”

“And people might say, ‘Why?’ You give them the ball back, and it gives them a chance to go back and score,'” Barber said. “You had possessions to play with, right? You had one possession to play with. They’re down by two possessions, 10 points. They have to possess the ball two times. If you make them call that last timeout, you punt them the ball. They have to drive the length of the field with four or so minutes left in the game. It’s going to use a significant portion of the clock. Then you’re going to get the ball back. And then, now, all you need is a first down.”

“This game was lost, and you heard me scream it, as soon as they decided to put the ball in a rookie’s hand,” Barber added. “This is why I always distrust rookies in moments, because they make stupid rookie decisions- like throwing the ball over the middle of the field in a simulated blitz, when the linebacker is actually dropping into coverage, and you don’t see him, and you think you have a big play, but you don’t.”

“This is on the play call. Period,” Barber continued. “The only thing you do is force the Denver Broncos to use three timeouts, keep the clock running, and punt the ball away. It’s an inexcusable play call. I don’t understand it in any capacity.”

Brian Daboll is an offensive-minded head coach for New York, and he gave up play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka ahead of Week 1. Daboll may still be involved in play-call decisions in crucial moments- like a third-and-five while trying to close out a win.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.

He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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