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Despite recording a sack, delivering four quarterback hits, and making a crucial play, Abdul Carter played a significant role in the Giants’ defeat.
More specifically, it was Carter’s positioning in the neutral zone that contributed to the Giants’ loss.
During Sunday’s game, Carter was penalized for being offsides, a call that nullified Jevón Holland’s 96-yard interception return for a touchdown. This could have put the Giants ahead late in the first half but instead led to a 10-point swing, ultimately resulting in a 16-13 loss to the Vikings.
“I didn’t think I jumped. They mentioned my hand was in the neutral zone or something,” Carter remarked. “That one was tough to swallow.”
A pass from J.J. McCarthy, deflected off Jalen Nailor’s hands, found its way into Holland’s grasp, leaving him with an open field ahead.
“Not until I was in the end zone,” Holland said of seeing the flag on the field.
Holland lifted his arms like plane wings as he crossed the goal line, and the rest of the defense ran down to the other end to celebrate — unaware of the yellow flag on the field.
“I didn’t know it was me,” Carter said. “I heard it on the loudspeaker. That hurt the team right there, especially for Holland, who took it all the way back to the house. That’s on me. I have to be better.”
Carter tried to atone on the next play by rushing McCarthy right into Chauncey Golston’s arms for a sack. He later added his own sack, becoming the first Giants rookie with a sack in three straight games.
But the lost touchdown loomed large because the Vikings turned their second chance into a field goal.
“Just check with the refs sometimes,” Dexter Lawrence said about what can be done to prevent that mistake.You get in your zone, you get in your alignments, and you’re lining up off the offensive lineman, and sometimes, they are deeper than the ball, the line of scrimmage. You’ve just got to sometimes check or look down the line.”
The Giants scored a defensive touchdown later in the half when Tyler Nubin scooped and scored on a fumble created by Brian Burns.
But they needed both.
