New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur – Image: Sporting News
New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur, rightfully so, is taking heat for his questionable play-calling in Monday night’s 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. While the analytics he referenced to the media afterwards made sense, his awareness of the team he coaches was lacking big time.
The Giants have now lost four games in a row, their season record is a miserable 1-6. This was a game where Big Blue had multiple opportunities to take control, but they couldn’t get out of their own way. They were only 2 of 5 on attempts in the red zone, their issues in this area remain a problem. It’s inexcusable why a team, with this much talent on offense, struggles to put points on the scoreboard.
Shurmur went for two points when the Giants pulled to within 20-12 on a Saquon Barkley touchdown with 4:47 left to play. An extra point makes it only a seven-point game with enough time on the clock to get the ball back. Shurmur, instead decided to go for the two-point conversion.
The Giants failure to convert opened the door for Shurmur to catch heat for his decision.
“I felt like, we’d discussed internally the math on that,” Shurmur said. “I felt like we had a good play, and I liked our two-point play selections. And we just didn’t quite get it done.”
Perspective On Pat Shurmur
Analytics is the cool phrase in today’s world of professional sports. Team owners are looking for it in their general managers and head coaches. They’re looking for candidates with a healthy balance of strong analytical skills, communication skills, and strong instincts.
The analytics, or “math”, Shurmur alluded to made sense — if you’re into that kind of stuff.
The math backs up Pat Shurmur's decision to go for two down eight points with less than five minutes to go. Going for it then gives Shurmur an informational advantage. If the Giants convert, then on their next touchdown they know they only need to kick… https://t.co/3Tt4QdwXjz
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) October 23, 2018
But, realistically, did anyone watching that game really feel confident about the Giants being able to convert that two-point play? I know I definitely didn’t.
The Giants are exactly what they’re record says they are … a bad football team. They rank 29th in the league for red zone percentage and they already showed their futility in this game. That’s a situation where you take the extra point and play to get the ball back.
Then there was the two quarterback sneaks Shurmur had Eli Manning attempt from Atlanta’s one-yard line with less than a minute left. Manning didn’t get in the end zone on both tries, the next play he hit Odell Beckham for a touchdown. But it only left five seconds in the game.
Again, why put your 37-year old, immobile, quarterback in a situation that’s not his strong point? Not only did that not make sense, it took valuable time off the clock.
Shurmur should be applauded for believing in his offense to get it done in those situations. That goes over well in the locker room with the players. But, with the season halfway down the toilet, and the owner of the team watching from the press box, it wasn’t some of his best coaching. No matter what the analytics say.
Awareness is just as important as every other skill set on the check list.
