Nobody around the New York Giants is particularly happy about the end to week two’s loss. The game ended on a pass interference penalty which ended the game and kept the Giants from getting another shot at a comeback. It would have been a storybook moment for Daniel Jones. A comeback victory without the team’s best offensive player, to keep the Giants from starting the season 0-2.
However, that’s not the result we ended up with. Because of the penalty, the Giants ended the game on an incomplete pass. They’re 0-2 now, going into a dangerous matchup with a 49ers team that demolished the Jets that same week. It’s safe to say it’s not the ideal situation for Golden Tate, who committed the penalty.
On Monday, Tate spoke up about just what happened.
Golden Tate speaks out about the end of the game
“Just a very competitive play,” Tate told reporters when asked about the end of the game. “I went back and watched the film. I think it was a close call. But the refs called what they called and it is what it is. I’m a believer in just not leaving it up to anyone but ourselves. If we handle business earlier in that game, then maybe we don’t have to even get to that point.”
Tate was targeted five times during the game as a whole and had five receptions. But the penalty is what will be in the heads of most fans when they think of his performance. After all, with 47 receiving yards, he had something of an impact on the passing game but it was far from a breakout performance.
Tate also says that he didn’t hear from Joe Judge about the play.
“I didn’t have any conversations about that particular play with anyone really. Everything happens so fast. I kind of saw it as I was being competitive with Buster [Skrine] and just trying to find a way to get open. I don’t know what you guys think. What do you all think about that call?”
Giants dealing with big injuries
The most important thing for the Giants right now, though, is continuing despite injuries weighing the team down for another year. Saquon Barkley has been confirmed as out for the year, but Tate believes that won’t hold the Giants back from accomplishing their goals.
“Obviously, when we see Shep, we see Saquon go down, when we see any of our brothers go down, just the very natural feeling is it kind of can deflate you. However, after sleeping on it overnight and a lot of praying, the show has to go on. Next man up mentality. We have complete trust in our coaches and other players we have in our locker room that we can get the job done,” Tate said.
Tate is one of the next men up himself, thanks to Sterling Shepard potentially being out for weeks. The Giants are also reportedly making the move for former Falcons running back Devonta Freeman to fill in for Barkley. But while they have players waiting to step up, the success of the team depends on those players actually doing that: stepping up and breaking the bad trend from previous seasons.
The Giants are 0-2 for now and it won’t take long for interest in this season to deflate if they don’t pick up a win in the next couple of weeks. They’ll do their best to do that on Sunday, when they take on the 49ers at home.