The New York Giants infuriated their fanbase on Sunday but not in the traditional fashion.
After dropping 10 straight games and 13 overall this season, Big Blue finally reversed course and pulled off a home win, upsetting the Indianapolis Colts, 45-33, at MetLife Stadium.
For the fans, it was too little, too late. They had gone from rooting for victories to rooting for losses in order to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
Neither the coaches nor the players ever subscribed to the tank and that was evident on Sunday. Their objective is to win and they couldn’t care less how angry it makes the fans.
“We’re going to keep doing this, we’re going to keep pushing, the season’s not over, we’ve got two games left to be able to come out and win this one — that’s the goal every single week, come out and win and work as hard as we can to do it,” quarterback Drew Lock said.
Offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor was a bit more eloquent.
“You would rather your team go out there and fight for every inch than lay down and take an ass-whooping. Yeah, you get the pick that you want, but what is that player they want coming into? Being 3-13 is not for everyone, but everyone is out there trying and we’re trying to establish a culture that can lead into next year,” he said, via Ryan Dunleavy.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Darius Slayton laughed off the notion of tanking.
“We’re obviously not tanking,” he said. “We have a job to do. This isn’t basketball, it’s not golf, it’s not tennis. Football, you get hit. I’m not finna go out there and just let people tee off on me to tank.
“I’m not about to let people dive at my knees for free. At the end of the day, we’re trying to win and today showed that fight.”
Asked about losing draft stock with the win, Slayton was completely indifferent. He doesn’t care and it’s clear that his celebratory teammates don’t, either.
For other players, such as rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, he seemed annoyed that fans would root for them to lose.
“I mean, I’ve got nothing to say about that,” he said, stopping himself before adding more. “I ain’t got nothing really to say about that. The draft will be the draft.”
Ultimately, Nabers said, “it wouldn’t be right” to look ahead and focus on anything other than the task at hand.
For those who were cheering and wanted to see the Giants win, the players dedicated Sunday’s victory to them. From Eluemunor to Nabers and everyone in between, they made sure to thank the fans who are rooting for them.
