If you were watching the second half of the New York Giants’ win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday, you may have seen Ahmad Bradshaw shouting at head coach Tom Coughlin. It was a somewhat heated exchange, and it was clear that Bradshaw was upset with Coughlin about something. As it turns out, the running back had taken issue with the play calling.
According to the Star-Ledger, Bradshaw wanted to make sure his head coach knew New York needed to run the ball more after Giants defensive back Stevie Brown picked off a Robert Griffin III pass in the third quarter.
“I was just saying, ‘Run the ball,’ going onto the field,” Bradshaw admitted on Monday. “A lot of my emotions kick in, and I just want to help my team win as much as possible.”
Coughlin wasn’t the only one who got an earful during the game, as Bradshaw also yelled at Victor Cruz and smacked him in the helmet after a play where he thought the receiver missed a block.
“It didn’t tickle, to say the least,” Cruz said when asked about the exchange. “But it’s all fine. He just wants the best out of everyone. On that specific play, he felt like I could’ve done more. I agree with him, and we hugged it out later on.”
Of course, winning makes it even more fine. The Giants fought until the end and held off an admirable comeback attempt by Washington, winning the game on a 77-yard touchdown to none other than Cruz. As for Bradshaw’s minor temper tantrums, Coughlin said it is something that he has to work on controlling but that he loves Ahmad’s passion for the game.
“There’s never been any question about Ahmad Bradshaw’s toughness, his intensity level,” Coughlin said. “He plays the game hard. You’d like to have everybody play as hard as he plays, to be honest with you. He gives it everything he’s got, and so you want people to recognize that fact, but sometimes you do have to control yourself and control your emotions, and he’s working on it.”
Again, that type of passion is more appreciated when the end result is a win. The Giants’ offense struggled for much of the game. They threw the ball 40 times compared to only 19 rushes, so Bradshaw may have a point. That being said, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and showing your coach up. Bradshaw needs to be careful not to cross it.
H/T Rotoworld
