For Giants, it’s get it right or face the consequences

“There are consequences on the field for making mistakes. In a game, it’ll cost you five, 10, or 15 yards. In practice, there needs to be consequences so we learn how to deal with our mistakes.”

That was New York Giants head coach Joe Judge on Monday afternoon, explaining why in the practice a handful of media members had just witnessed that on four separate occasions players were subjected to the indignity of running a lap after making a mistake.

Offensive line coach Marc Colombo had talked last week about how detail-oriented Judge was.

“ ... every single step matters, if you’re not coaching every little detail of it, the player can’t get better ... That’s our job as coaches. Coach Judge harps on that, coach every little detail.”

Some of that was in evidence on Monday, the first time media was able to watch a practice.

There was a fair amount of teaching. A fair amount of players being cursed at. And the running.

Veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard said the last time he could remember a teammate being forced to run after a mistake was “probably middle school.”

“I think we have to buy into what Coach Judge has in store for us,” Shepard said. “If that’s what he has in store for us, running laps for mistakes, just don’t make mistakes.”

Saquon Barkley said he couldn’t remember the last time he saw it happen.

“We’re focusing on being a detailed team and holding each other accountable,” Barkley said. “The little things matter and that comes with the territory.”

Barkley has noticed the attention to detail from Judge and the coaching staff.

“I always thought I was a detail guy but now I have to be even more, the way we are getting coached, which is great,” Barkley said. “All the little things. You really don’t even think about it. I used to be at a point where I’m reading the line of scrimmage, reading the defenders and trying to set up a block. It can start with your footwork on that play. How you can determine how you can set up a block from there. The ball carrying, put it in the left hand or if you are going right. Crossing over, how to switch it, the little things.

“Obviously, you go out there and we know how to catch a ball but focusing on the catch and bringing it to the tuck so when you go out there on the football field all those little things come natural. Not only coach Judge and coach Burton, but all the coaches from offense, defense and special teams are really focusing on all the little things. We have to continue to grow in that area, too, especially beating another team. If we are able to focus on those things, I feel like it will help us this year.”