Giant Miss

Once again, coming clean here: I am a NYC resident and thus watch a lot of Giants football. Ok, it is usually because all the other games are blacked out (this has to end!) but the last few years have been pretty entertaining, what with Eli and Tiki - and a kicker I really like, Jay Feely.

This was not Feely's weekend and there is some disagreement on who to blame. The New York Daily News opens with the claim that Feely all but guaranteed he could make the kick and told Coach Coughlin as much. Of course, the article does quote Coughlin not once, but twice, making it clear the decision to try the field goal and not punt was entirely his own and laid no blame at Feely's feet (or foot).

GiantFootballBlog takes the stronger stance that it was entirely Coughlin's error in judgment.

I agree with GFB. All great athletes will tell you they can make the big shot/big kick/big play - that confidence is part of what makes them great. The coach's job is to know when enthusiasm and confidence are unlikely to overcome a tough situation, like wind, rain and poor field position for instance.

Plus, it is hard to blame Feely for letting Hester, a true run-back superstar, make the longest touchdown run in NFL history. There were members of the special team walking off the field before the whistle was blown!