Week 12 did not go the Giants’ way. The first half of their divisional matchup against the Eagles looked promising. But the second half was a completely different story.
To make matters worse, there were a few pitiful no-calls from the officials in the 25-22 outing that ended with an Eagles win.
One of the notable no-calls came in the red zone in the fourth quarter of the game. The Giants were down 22-19 and at the Eagles’ 11-yard line. Eli Manning threw the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. in the end zone. Beckham tried coming down with it, but Eagles cornerback Cre’von LeBlanc had other ideas. He grabbed OBJ on the shoulder and at the bottom of his jersey. As a result, the ball bounced out of Beckham’s hands and went incomplete.
When Beckham tried to make a case for pass interference (and there were two instances of on the play) the officials were unmoved. The Giants had to settle for a field goal, instead of getting another try at a touchdown.
The broadcast announcers and commentators were immediately baffled when officials didn’t throw the flag. Skip Bayless had something to say about it, too.
Odell was right to throw a fit because the ref didn't throw a flag as he was grabbed twice on end zone pass. Eagles just got a huge break. Giants should be ahead.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 25, 2018
This wasn’t the only notable no-call came as another occurred on the last play of the game. The Giants were trying to pull off a hook and lateral, but Beckham was blatantly tripped by Eagles linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill. The officials declared the ball dead. No flag was thrown; the game was over.
Grugier-Hill should have received a tripping penalty and if a penalty were enforced, the Giants would have received one more un-timed down. They could have used that to attempt a 62-yard field goal with their “strong-legged kicker,” as head coach Pat Shurmur said.
“I don’t think you’re allowed to trip (leg whip),” he said after the game. “I did the math on that though. If that is in fact a penalty, then we would have been kicking with the wind for a 62-yarder with a strong-legged kicker.”
As a technicality, a tripping penalty is 10 yards, but a leg whip is a 15-yard penalty. So if tripping would have been that call, it would have actually been a 67-yard attempt or maybe more likely a Hail Mary from Eli Manning.
Yes, there were more reasons than penalties for why the Giants lost. But how could the officials miss not one but two calls in the fourth quarter? These no-calls alone could have affected the outcome of an important NFC East game.