No exaggeration: This might be the most embarrassing moment in Giants history – NJ.com

It is dangerous to declare anything related to the Giants these days as the worst ever or the lowest point. This is, after all, a franchise that has repeatedly hit rock bottom only to drill a little deeper, and deeper still, and even ... deeper ... still.

Plus, it is necessary to approach such proclamations with caution given the teams history. What might seem like the nadir for this generation of football fans might seem tame in comparison to the fans who endured the dark ages of the 1970s.

And still, even with all those disclaimers in mind, we feel comfortable declaring what happened in the second quarter of the Giants game against Washington as the most embarrassing moment in the franchises near 100-year history.

Really. This was that bad.

The Giants, trailing Washington 3-0 late in the second quarter, were pinned at their own 2-yard line when they did something that raised a white flag over MetLife Stadium in an unprecedented way. They ran a quarterback sneak on second down, and when the play gained two yards, they ran another one on third down.

And then they punted.

Run that one back. Let it sink in. The Giants, a 4-12 team with nothing to lose but another meaningless game, refused to let their offense attempt an actual play against a six-win Washington team. They might as well have just punted on second down!

Embarrassing doesnt begin to sufficiently describe it.

Lets remember, the man making this decision is Joe Judge, the head coach that co-owner John Mara is believed to be prepared to bring back for a third season despite a 10-23 overall record. Judge gave an 11-minute sermon about the teams improved culture a week ago, that his former players still dial him and tell him they wish they were still in New Jersey.

It was ridiculous when he said it and that was before Judge added a new term for giving up to footballs modern lexicon.

Surrender Punt? Meet the Surrender Sneak.

The one positive for the Giants: At least there were only a few thousand people inside MetLife Stadium to see it happen. Combine the teams current hopelessness with a bad opponent and a cold, gray January day, and you end up with what might be the lowest home attendance for the team since the stadium opened in 2010 (the NFL does not provide actual attendance numbers, just tickets distributed).

The crowd had to find ways to amuse itself. Everytime the referee made an routine announcement No. 79 is reporting eligible the fans roared with their approval. Judge, during that 11-minute rant, said that every fan has the right to boo my ass out. Somehow, this combination of indifference and scorn was even worse.

Then again, there might be a weird benefit for the fans who braved the cold to watch this lousy, meaningless football game. Theyll be able to tell their kids someday that they saw the most embarrassing moment in Giants history.

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Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com.

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No exaggeration: This might be the most embarrassing moment in Giants history - NJ.com