Larry Donnell fumble talk…
After the game, at Giants.com, Coach Coughlin summed up the loss with this statement:
"So, we’re three-and-four. We go to the bye week and we’ve got to come together here and figure out a way to get some of these things done that are most frustrating for us right now."
Of course, “some of these things” is referring to giving away football games with turnovers. Obviously, yesterday the New York Giants lost a battle with the Dallas Cowboys, 31-21… but it was the late fumble from Larry Donnell that left the Cowboys with a short-field, allowing them to gain the final lead of the game.
Now understand Giants Nation, this is a big man. He’s 6’6″ – 269 lbs of 25 year old football machine, no doubt. But his GIANT stature in size leads to a question. How big do you have to be to shoulder the blame of such a vital loss?
After the game, here’s what the young tight end had to say about his costly error:
"TE Larry Donnell“I didn’t protect the ball the way I should. I cost the team.” “The turnover hurt the team. You can’t do that. I’m going to bounce back from it, look at it and protect the ball better to prevent that and not hurt the team.” “I didn’t talk to anyone about it. So, I was just in a state of mind where you know I was a little bit down. I’ll learn from it, get better and just bounce back.” “We moved the ball, I thought, pretty well. Even though I turned the ball over, we went down to score and came back. The defense stopped them and handed us a chance to tie the game up. I was careless with the ball and I hurt the team.” “This game is over as of whatever time this game was over. So, we’re looking forward and we will work to get better. We’ll do whatever it takes to get a win.”"
In an article for the New York Post titled, ‘It’s terrible’: Larry Donnell knows his part in the loss, they quoted Larry also making this statement:
"“I was trying to just get a couple more yards and he made a good play, put his hat on me, I was just trying to fight for extra yards and didn’t cover the ball like I need to,’’ Donnell said. “It’s terrible. Especially when we have a chance to go down the field and tie the game up. Get some momentum and that happens. I got to do better on my part.’’"
That kind of thing just happens in the game of football. Players try to do all they can for that extra yard, just one more inch… and sometimes they put it on the turf. FUMBLE! Anyone that has ever suited up and played football knows that sound and how “the feeling” burns in your mind and ears as soon as it’s screamed on the gridiron.
Everyone knows the idea is to hold onto the ball and score points in pigskin, but sometimes a defender hits you just right. Then just like that, the ball is out and the momentum of a game changes in an instant. Make no mistake, the Giants needed this win yesterday. No NFL team ever wants to limp into a bye week after losing two GIANT divisional games. It’s worst case scenario.
For players like Larry Donnell, it’s time to reflect on their mistakes and improve. And that’s not an easy thing to do. Imagine it, letting down millions of people, your teammates, your coaches, your fans, yourself. Looking in the mirror and asking “what if” would be very easy to do. Imagine the guilt. Ouch.
Regardless of thinking about how Donnell might feel in the aftermath, the New York Football Giants need to get it together. November 3rd is sneaking up fast and the Indianapolis Colts are not going to rollover for the G-Men because their season is falling apart. Not at all.
Instead, the Colts will offer the Giants and Larry Donnell a chance to redeem themselves on national TV as the whole world watches them on Monday Night Football. Andrew Luck and company will come to play, the Giants know that and they have exactly two weeks to figure out if they’re up to the challenge.