Ex-Giants Linebacker Says Fewell Taught Flopping To Players

The New York Giants are being taught how to fake injuries by the team's defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, former Giants linebacker Bryan Kehl told Howard Balzer of The Sports Xchange.

"Perry Fewell coaches that," Kehl told Balzer.  "He's their D.C.[defensive coordinator].  He coaches that."

Call it the Fewell Flop.

Kehl was a little-used linebacker who played a couple of months with the Giants when Fewell started in 2010.  Kehl was waived after week 1 and picked up by the Rams-- where he is still on the roster.

While Kehl didn't perform for the Giants, it sounds like he got some free acting lessons as a parting gift.

The NFL might be  interested in what Kehl allegedly learned from Fewell.  The league released a statement to all 32 teams warning of fines, suspensions and even loss of draft picks if it is determined that someone took a dive on the field during a game.

The bad taste surrounding Giants safety Deon Grant and linebacker Jacquain Williams' "injuries" during the team's 28-16 win over the St. Louis Rams during Monday night's game won't wash away.

If you haven't heard, as soon as the Rams got into the red zone with their hurry-up offense and the winded Giants defense unable to make quick substitutions, Grant and Williams both dropped like fainting Justin Bieber tweens to stop the drive.

It looked like Williams saw Grant was down and he miraculously hopped right up while Grant waited for medical attention.  The Rams drive stalled and they settled for a field goal.

The Rams are still miffed over the incident.

Rams quarterback Sam Bradford said he heard Giants players telling one another to "Go down,' after Grant tackled running back Cadillac Williams on the Giants 7-yard line late in the first quarter.

Grant continues to declare his innocence and showed reporters his swollen right knee and said he hasn't missed a game in 12 pro seasons.  On videos, Grant is shown holding his left knee.

"You go and check my medical report," Grant said Wednesday.  "I have the injuries to speak for it... two torn MCL's that I never had surgery, wrist surgery, shoulder surgery, a broken hip with a metal plate and screws in it.  How can another person that's not in your body tell you you are faking an injury?"

Grant conceded that he heard the "Go down" yells, but said it was because he couldn't get up and off the field.

In the memo sent to each team, the NFL said they will  punish future bad acting jobs.

The memo stated: "Those found to be violators will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action for conduct detrimental to the game."

Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka thinks accusing injured players of flopping could lead to trouble.

"I think it's a really dangerous path to go down," said Kiwanuka.  "If you start letting referees decide whether a player is hurt or not, it might come back to bite them big time... it might lead to lawsuits."

An NFL spokesperson said no punishment could be handed down without solid proof-- like an admission of guilt.

Deon Grant Won't Face Discipline Unless He Admits Faking "Injury"

The New York Giants had a hard time containing Sam Bradford and his no-huddle offense throughout the first quarter last night, so when the St. Louis Rams entered the red-zone, two Giants players stopped the clock their own way.

If you look at the replays, you can only guess the "injuries" to safety Deon Grant and linebacker Jacquain Williams were feigned but the NFL cannot discipline either of the two players unless they take credit for their bad acting jobs.

Both players were stricken at almost the same time, with the rookie Williams hitting the turf first immediately followed by the veteran Grant, after the Giants had trouble substituting players fast enough.

Funny thing was, after Williams spotted Grant rolling around like a deer in a trap, the rookie hopped right up.

Who knew the Italian national soccer team was coaching the Giants defense.

This NFL version of a soccer flop is considered bush-league but is a gray area in the NFL rule book which states that " The Competition Committee deprecates feigning injuries, with subsequent withdrawal, to obtain a timeout without penalty.  Coaches are urged to cooperate in discouraging this practice."

While it is a violation of the spirit of the rules-- and bad sportsmanship-- the NFL will not punish Grant, Williams or the Giants unless one, or all, admit to taking a dive.  Yeah... right.

The sports radio lines were filled with rants about the cheap momentum-stopping tactic but the NFL apparently has its hands tied.  How do you prove a fake injury?

For now, it's a non-issue and it looks like the Giants pulled a fast one.

Giants Michael Boley Spikes Football Into Face Of A Fan

Maybe, because it was his first NFL touchdown, New York Giants Michael Boley can be forgiven for performing one of the worst football spikes in recent memory during last night's game.  If the score doesn't leave an imprint in NFL history, the torpedo-like ball left one in some poor fan's face.

Boley, after scooping up a fumbled screen pass to St. Louis Rams running back Cadillac Williams, raced 65 yards to score a second quarter TD then, after the Giants linebacker crossed the goal line, he spiked the ball directly into the face of a fan standing behind the end zone.

It doesn't look like Boley intentionally drilled the ball into the unsuspecting man, but the horizontal toss was a direct hit to the nose and had enough power to ricochet off the guy's face into the back of a cameraman's head.

Boley's first NFL score came after being at the right place at the right time, with the Giants leading 7-6 early in the second quarter, and the defense was struggling.  The Rams were marching to what looked like at least a field goal when Rams QB Sam Bradford threw a screen to Williams in the left flat.

The ball which went backwards slipped through the running back's hands and fell to the ground. Williams made no attempt to grab it, so Boley picked it up and raced down the sideline.

Suddenly the Giants lead was 14-6 and the team went on to a 28-16 win in their home opener at MetLife Stadium.

"The Boley play was big, no question," said Giants coach Tom Coughlin.  "When you score on defense, that's a huge play."

Next time, Boley scores, fans might want to move out of spiking distance.