I don’t know about you, but I was nervous.
Despite trailing the New York Giants 19-11 and being pinned at their own five-yard line, Joe Milton and the Philadelphia Eagles offense began to march down the field once again. Using all the time they had left on the clock, the Eagles managed to bring the ball all the way to midfield to set up a potential game-tying Hail Mary, pending a successful two-point conversion after the fact. I started to sweat: we've all seen this show before.
Then, the broadcast began to rant and rave about the strength of Milton’s arm, which had launched a record 62-mph, 70-yard throw at the 2024 NFL combine. The former Tennessee standout would have had no trouble pushing the ball from the Eagles' 44-yard line all the way to the end zone, and it would be up to the Giants' cornerbacks to make sure it ended up in nobody’s hands.
After a decade of watching New York lose football games in increasingly creative ways, I was biting my nails watching the Eagles line up for the final play.
Dennard Wilson trusted the Giants' pass rush with the game on the line
Under these circumstances, most defensive coordinators would rush three players at the QB and drop everyone else into deep coverage. The much-maligned “prevent defense” was the obvious play call in that scenario, even though it would give Milton a chance to make a miracle play. Instead, Dennard Wilson shut the door.
He sent a six-man blitz at the 26-year-old and dropped just five defensive players into coverage, catching the struggling Eagles offensive line completely by surprise.
When Milton stepped up to launch the throw, he ran straight into the waiting arms of Darius Alexander. Alexander brought him down, running the clock out and ending the game with Big Blue's seventh sack of the day. This gutsy play call never even gave the first-time starter the opportunity to throw the ball.
In years past, the G-Men have blown countless games by coaching not to lose. Wilson’s final play call Sunday, though it may not have single-handedly swung the game, represented something different.
By placing all of his chips on the table to sack Milton, Big Blue made a clear statement. No matter what the game scenario is, the Giants are always going to play on their own terms. Their most advantageous matchup Sunday was in the pass rush, so why wouldn’t you use it to call game?
By simply having faith in his guys up front to make a play, Wilson allowed the G-Men to break their 13-year losing streak in Philadelphia. That one play call was a microcosm of this new era of coaching in New York, and a clear example of the strides this team has made since their disastrous season last year. If you're a fan of the New York Giants today, you could not be any happier.
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