Adding injury to the insult, quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a neck injury and was forced to leave the game. It was Ezeudu who allowed the hit.
Ezeudu was immediately pulled from the game and replaced by Matt Peart, but the negative emotions from that moment carried over.
Again sitting at his locker in disbelief, Ezeudu was overcome with guilt for the injury sustained by Jones. He tried to fight back tears but could not.
From the New York Daily News:
Giants left tackle Josh Ezeudu was in tears at his locker after Sunday's 31-16 loss to the explosive Miami Dolphins. But Daniel Jones' neck injury, postgame X-rays and scheduled Monday scan aren't Ezeudu's fault.
Jones has "pain" in his "sore" neck after Andrew Ginkel's crushing fourth quarter sack because Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll didn't build an offensive line to protect their most important asset after paying Jones like a franchise quarterback.
It's not on a second-year player who couldn't win a starting guard spot in training camp but was told to protect Jones' blind side anyway when Andrew Thomas got hurt.
"I'm sorry, I can't be late off the ball," an emotional Ezeudu said he told Jones, via The Athletic. "He was just like, 'It's fine, but just keep on working."
It would be easy to pile on Ezeudu for his mistake and the several other penalties called against him, but this is hardly his fault. He's a reserve guard starting out of position at tackle because the Giants and general manager Joe Schoen failed to provide enough depth at the position. It was a glaring issue this offseason and even entering the season, but it went largely ignored.
https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2023/10/09/new-york-giants-joshua-ezeudu-left-tears-after-week-5-loss-daniel-jones-injury/?taid=6523e6b047c6bc000130c3b0&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter
Sorry, but this is the NFL and he was drafted to be a starter. He's had enough time at LT not to get off the snap on time and let a rush blow past him on the outside. His job is to protect the Blindside. His job isn't to kill drives.
I blame the coaches for not swapping him an Neal. Neal played LT his final year of college which is why he was taken 7th overall. There is no reason why he should not be protecting the blind side.
Quote from: TDToomer on October 09, 2023, 10:44:53 AMI blame the coaches for not swapping him an Neal. Neal played LT his final year of college which is why he was taken 7th overall. There is no reason why he should not be protecting the blind side.
Are you sure that it would have made any difference? Both guys aren't good.
Quote from: TDToomer on October 09, 2023, 10:44:53 AMI blame the coaches for not swapping him an Neal. Neal played LT his final year of college which is why he was taken 7th overall. There is no reason why he should not be protecting the blind side.
I wondered the exact same thing.
Quote from: madbadger on October 09, 2023, 11:37:31 AMAre you sure that it would have made any difference? Both guys aren't good.
I wonder if Peart would have been a better choice to start
Quote from: MightyGiants on October 09, 2023, 11:41:53 AMI wonder if Peart would have been a better choice to start
Not sure if it was a mirage or not, but Peart looked like he handled himself well.
Funny 3 weeks ago people were asking the question of what to do with the line when Thomas came back and maybe shifting Thomas to Right Tackle because Ezeudu looked good against Arizona. Now we want Ezeudu on the bench and Peart to start instead while Thomas is out.
Pugh will settle this oline down. So much of success is veteran presence. We will see them give the QB more time
Quote from: Trench on October 09, 2023, 12:04:28 PMPugh will settle this oline down. So much of success is veteran presence. We will see them give the QB more time
Pugh is coming off a significant injury and as an added bonus is pretty old. Now, he can't really be any worse, that much is true, but to think that just starting him after signing him off the scrap heap is suddenly going to turn this season around I think would be a mistake.
Quote from: Gmo11 on October 09, 2023, 12:06:49 PMPugh is coming off a significant injury and as an added bonus is pretty old. Now, he can't really be any worse, that much is true, but to think that just starting him after signing him off the scrap heap is suddenly going to turn this season around I think would be a mistake.
I'm saying when we get Thomas and Schmitz back along with Pugh, you will see a functioning oline. I am positive on this
Getting a Healthy Thomas and JMS back will make the biggest difference for this group. When you think about it they've only had one offensive possession this season where that has been the case.
Quote from: Rambo89 on October 09, 2023, 11:58:24 AMFunny 3 weeks ago people were asking the question of what to do with the line when Thomas came back and maybe shifting Thomas to Right Tackle because Ezeudu looked good against Arizona. Now we want Ezeudu on the bench and Peart to start instead while Thomas is out.
Or, and this is possible, it should have been that way from the start.
I have zero faith in the NYG coaching decisions on personnel.
With a healthy Thomas and JMS, the OL gave up 7 sacks against Dallas. The OL is still not average even with them.
Quote from: Trench on October 09, 2023, 12:11:40 PMI'm saying when we get Thomas and Schmitz back along with Pugh, you will see a functioning oline. I am positive on this
An injured and aging Pugh will not make the slightest impact on this team. That I am positive of.
Quote from: Philosophers on October 09, 2023, 12:27:34 PMWith a healthy Thomas and JMS, the OL gave up 7 sacks against Dallas. The OL is still not average even with them.
Thomas was "healthy" for the first possession of that game before he got hurt on the blocked FG to where he played hurt for the remainder of the game. Plus that was against one of the best fronts in the league. Don't think we can draw a full conclusion based upon that.
Quote from: Stringer Bell on October 09, 2023, 12:29:55 PMAn injured and aging Pugh will not make the slightest impact on this team. That I am positive of.
We can revisit this after Thomas, Schmitz and Pugh are plying together
I agree with this
https://x.com/giantinsider/status/1711479216821190878?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ
As long as we have Neal at the RT spot, this line, no matter who are in other spots, will never be good. Remember the weakest link analogy.
Quote from: LennG on October 09, 2023, 04:38:24 PMAs long as we have Neal at the RT spot, this line, no matter who are in other spots, will never be good. Remember the weakest link analogy.
I agree. Even after his horrible start to the year and all his bluster, Neal is somehow playing worse.
I think Johnson needs to go ASAP, and this could help the OL overall. But based on what I'm seeing, Neal does not move like a tackle and lacks basic OL instincts.
It's apparent the first person who needs to go is the Oline coach. These guys are spouting off against fans, staring and now crying...seems to me they are a mess.
Ryan Dunleavy
@rydunleavy
Heres what's important about #Giants Josh Ezeudu: He's a nice and respectful person and well-likes teammate who is trying really hard after being put in a near-impossible situation because of injuries. And he felt the emotional weight of the sack he allowed that left Daniel Jones injured. He apologized to DJ. DJ told him not to worry and keep working hard.