40 • November 25, 2021 - December 1, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Sports The Giants’ firing of OC Garrett isn’t a solution to the team’s deep problems By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor
(Bill Moore photo)
Garrett is fundamentally a scapeNEWS goat for an offense that hasAM been poor this season and one of the most un10/07/21 The 3-7 Giants fired productive in the NFL over the last offensive coordinafive. The unit is currently ranked tor Jason Garrett on 25th out of the league’s 32 teams in Tuesday coming off of total yards and is putting up just 18.9 Monday’s 30-10 defeat points per game ahead of Sunday’s to the defending Super matchup against the 5-6 Philadelphia Bowl champion Tampa Eagles at MetLife Stadium. NEWS Bay Buccaneers on the The Giants’ ranks inAM the preroad. It was another vious four seasons were 21st in 10/14/21 chapter in the team’s 2017, 17th in 2018, 23rd in 2019 march toward another and 25th last season. So the issues season failing to make predate Garrett, the former Dallas the playoffs for the Cowboys head coach from 2011fifth straight year. 2019 and interim head coach for “We made a decision eight games in the 2010 season. to move on from Jason Irrespective of how the franchise’s AM NEWS Garrett as the offenownership of John Mara and Steve sive coordinator of the Tisch, general manager 10/21/21 Dave GetNew York Giants,” said tleman and Judge choose to spin head coach Joe Judge. it, Garrett is the fall guy. “Look, I have a lot of But they are just as culpable for respect for Jason as the Giants’ offensive deficiencies, as Currently in his third season as the Giants’ a person, as a coach. starting quarterback, Daniel Jones has not decisions on front office and scoutHe’s been a tremening department hirings, drafting, generated hope in the Giants’ fan base that he is dous asset for me as the long-term answer at the position free-agent signings and AM player deNEWS a young head coach. velopment are all significant fac10/28/21 He’s helped our development here. support staff members. He’s done a tors. Running back Saquon Barkley “He’s built very strong relation- good job putting the team first. I have (2018) and tight end Evan Engram ships in the building with the play- a lot of respect and appreciation for (2020) are the Giants’ only two skill ers,” Judge went on, “along with other everything he’s done for us.” position players to be named to the
Pro Bowl since 2018. The 55-year-old Garrett, a backup 01414 AM NE quarterback for the Giants from 0 7 hired as 10/07/ 2000-2003, who was the 74470 22784 team’s offensive coordinator in January of 2020 when Judge was named the new head coach, replacing the terminated Pat Shurmur, had been intensely criticized by fans and media for what has been deemed a 01424 lack of creativity and dubious play AM NE calling. The subjective assessment 10/14/ 0 7 74470but 22784 is justified only part of the factual narrative as to why the Giants’ offense has been impotent. Consistently below average play by third-year quarterback Daniel Jones, numerous games lost to injuries to vital players such as Barkley, wide re01434 ceiver Kenny Golladay and left tackle AM NE Andrew Thomas, an unsteady offen10/21/ 0 7 74470 sive line, and22784 indefensible underperformance by too many players at every position has been more deleterious than any of Garrett’s arguable shortcomings. In August, over a month before the start of this regular 01444season, Mara put forth to the media, “We’re AM NE 10/28/ all on our fans in 0 the hot seat, with 7 74470 22784 particular.” Indeed the fans won’t be satisfied with just Garrett’s inescapable dismissal.
The Jets’ division losses keeps them at the bottom AMofNEWS the AFC East By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews
(Bill Moore photo)
When Jets head coach Robert Saleh 11/04/21 named veteran quarWith eight weeks left in the NFL terback Joe Flacco season, beginning today with the the starter over Mike annual three-game Thanksgiving White for the matchschedule, then 17 regular season up versus the Dolgames, the AFC East division is far phins, it was an from settled. But it’s no surprise the unpopular decision AMfanbase. NEWS 2-8 Jets are in last place. among the This is another of their rebuildWhite had11/11/21 given the ing years. They began the season team a spark after rewith a rookie quarterback, a new placing Zach Wilson, head coach, a new offensive coorwhose first season dinator and a new defensive coorhas been a struggle. dinator. Each of the coaches are White helped the Jets working in their positions for the take down the Cinfirst time in the NFL. cinnati Bengals 34-31 AM NEWS The Jets’ 24-17 loss this past Sunday in Week 8, throwto the Miami Dolphins at MetLife ing for 40511/18/21 yards and was their third loss in a row, followthree touchdowns. ing defeats to the Indianapolis Colts Wilson sustained and Buffalo Bills, and their fifth in a sprained PCL in a the last six games. The 4-7 Dolphins 54-13 loss to the Pahave now won three straight after triots on Oct. 24. He is Jets rookie receiver Elijah Moore had a breakout game dropping seven straight. expected back as the on Sunday, posting career highs of eight catches and The 6-4 Bills, preseason favorites 141 yards in a 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins starter this AM Sunday NEWS to be AFC East champions, are in a when the Jets play 11/25/21 tight race with the New England Pa- rare year of not making the playoffs the Houston Texans on the road this triots, who have become a strong last season. The Patriots lead the di- Sunday. Flacco completed 24 of 39 playoff contender this season after a vision at 7-4. of his passes for 291 yards and two
touchdowns in facing a01454 solid DolAM NE phins defense. One TD was to receiv11/04/ 0 7 er Jamison 74470Crowder 22784 and the other to rookie receiver Elijah Moore, who had a breakout game in finishing with eight catches for 141 yards. “We did some good things,” said Flacco. “But we made too many mistakes to win the football game.” The Jets were in contention 01464 for most of AM NE the afternoon but couldn’t overcome 11/11/ 0 7 74470 22784 the errors. The score was tied 14-14 in the fourth quarter when Jets defensive end John Franklin-Myers was called for a roughing the passer penalty on Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on an incomplete pass on third down, keeping the drive alive 01474 and ultimately leading to a Miami AM NE touchdown. 11/18/ 0 7 74470 22784 “Ninety percent of the games in this league are lost, not won,” said Jets head coach Robert Saleh. “And this one was lost.”
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