Giants’ coach Brian Daboll: Tyrod Taylor alerted to a run on final play of first half

You had to know that if the New York Giants lost to the Buffalo Bills in a close game on Sunday, which they did, that the final play of the first half was going to draw immense scrutiny.

On that play, with a first-and-goal at the Buffalo 1-yard line and :14 seconds left in the half, the Giants had an opportunity to stretch their lead to 13-0. They had no timeouts, but there was time for two, maybe three passes to the end zone before settling for a field goal.

Unless .... unless they did the unthinkable and tried to run the ball.

Which is exactly what they ended up doing, with Saquon Barkley getting stuffed and time running out before the Giants could spike the ball to stop the clock. Thus, when they ould have had seven points and had no excuse not to get at least three, they came away with zero.

Get at least a field goal there and perhaps all they need at the end of the game is a field goal to win rather than a touchdown.

Coach Brian Daboll said after the game that quarterback Tyrod Taylor, subbing for the injured Daniel Jones, alerted to a run. Daboll said “there was communication” with Taylor that the ball had to be thrown in that situation.

Taylor said he thought there would be time to spike the ball if the run play failed.

“I did but ultimately should’ve left the okay on, shouldn’t have alerted it,” Taylor said. “It was a decision - looking back on it - I definitely shouldn’t have made”