PHILADELPHIA — The referees called it “forward progress,” but the Giants called it something more profane.
“That’s some bulls-t, man,” Kayvon Thibodeaux said.
With the score tied early in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Eagles, Jalen Hurts attempted a Tush Push on fourth-and-inches. He crossed the first-down marker, but Thibodeaux ripped the ball out of Hurts’ hands.
“The refs kind of have a hard job because they don’t know when to stop it,” Thibodeaux explained. “It’s tough on defense because you stop the first surge, the ref doesn’t blow the whistle. You get the ball out and you take it, now all of a sudden it’s forward progress.”
Thibodeaux said the officials told him that forward progress was ruled before Hurts reached out with the ball.
“Sounds like some bulls-t to me, and that’s the hard part about the situation,” Thibodeaux said before teammate Brian Burns reminded him of the fine that might come his way. “Sorry. I mean, ‘That was a great call by the ref.’”
Giants head coach Brian Daboll attempted to challenge the call but was informed that forward progress is not reviewable. Not taking no for an answer, he challenged the spot of the ball, hoping for a turnover on downs—and lost.
“I’ll just say our guys upstairs were pretty adamant about challenging the play,” Daboll said. “I have a lot of trust and faith in them, and it didn’t work out. Not going to get into any particulars, though.”
The Tush Push remains one of the most controversial plays in the NFL. The Giants were one of 22 teams that voted to ban it in the offseason; 24 votes were needed for it to be banned.
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“I ain’t going to get fined,” Burns said. “It is tricky. Two weeks ago, they allowed them to push the pile [against us]. Now, we stopped the surge, and they blow the whistle quick. Thibs had a heads-up play by getting the ball out. I really feel like that should’ve been a turnover. Weird call.”
The Eagles soon turned that first down into a tiebreaking touchdown en route to a 38-20 win.
Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (concussion) missed the second half. Rookie Korie Black, a seventh-round pick recently reacquired from the Jets practice squad, took his place and surrendered a touchdown.
Tight end Daniel Bellinger (neck) did not play in the fourth quarter, and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor missed the final play of the first half to be examined in the locker room.
“Just beat up a little bit,” Eluemunor said.
Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, a 2023 third-round pick, was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career as the Giants went with undrafted rookie Beaux Collins and practice-squad elevation Lil’Jordan Humphrey as backup receivers. Humphrey needs to be added to the 53-man roster to play next Sunday.
The other inactives included safeties Jevón Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo (both injured), as well as healthy scratches OG Evan Neal, OT James Hudson III, and QB Jameis Winston.
