New York Giants: Why Joe Judge is the answer at head coach, in-game and off the field

The New York Giants should feel extremely confident in head coach Joe Judge, especially after rotating through Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur. The team’s previous two coaches lacked discipline and accountability in many different ways, as players simply didn’t respect them, often lashing back after consistent losing and lack of playing time.

After Monday night’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wide receiver Golden Tate made sure to voice his concern during the game on national television. Not only did he vocally state “throw me the damn ball,” but his wife was livid on Instagram, ensuring that the Giants were aware that her husband was being underutilized.

However, the Giants have their reasons and game plan, and while quarterback Daniel Jones did miss Tate on multiple occasions, the Giants have focused more on culture and doing what is best for the team than any statistical output.

After the outburst from the veteran wide receiver, Judge conversed with a player, who ended up missing practice on Wednesday for his transgressions. This was clearly a disciplinary action and one that was justified, as Judge continues to rebuild the culture of the organization.

Having a head coach who understands accountability and doing what is best for the team is essential, and his primary job is to keep the players in line and reminding them of what they are building. While Tate might not be around in 2021, he’s being paid to play for the Giants right now, whether he is targeted in the passing game or not. Judge surely reminded him of his goals and that he will not tolerate any distractions in the locker room. That is exactly what you want to see it from your first-year head coach, holding the fort down and not letting any personalities get in the way.

The New York Giants should be confident in Judge for multiple reasons:

Judge’s successes have not only been in the locker room, but he’s also been solid with his in-game decision making. In recent years, McAdoo and Shurmur both called offensive plays, which took away from their other duties. They made consistent mistakes with time management and decision making in crucial moments. Shurmur was especially bad in this category, but Judge has been fantastic in both through eight weeks.

The Giants just simply haven’t been able to finish, losing their last three games by a margin of just six points. Against Tampa, Judge was prepared to make the right decision at the end of the game. With Daniel Jones throwing a perfect ball to Tate in the end zone, the Giants needed to score a two-point conversion. Judge was prepared for every scenario, calling on the onside-kick unit to be prepared just in case they failed to convert.

It is fantastic to see a young head coach with such disciplined abilities and football knowledge to understand every scenario. So far, I am extremely motivated by Judge and believe he is the future head coach and possibly more within the Giants’ organization.