Giants Fake Injuries Against Rams; Incur Fans’ Wrath

You'd be hard pressed to find too many football fans that will applaud someone for faking an injury during game play.

So naturally, when this happened last night during the New York Giants-St. Louis Rams game, there was outrage galore. The fakery happened with less than four minutes left in the first quarter. The Rams were driving down the field using a no huddle offense. When they reached the goal line, Giants S Deon Grant and LB Jacquian Williams simultaneously fell down as if a witch had put a spell on them.

When Williams realized Grant was doing the same thing, he got up quickly. Grant stayed down on the field and got tended to by members of the Giants training staff. He re-entered the game shortly thereafter.

ESPN analysts Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden basically called Grant a faker and said this was a tactic used by defenders to stop the no-huddle offense. There are no punishments for fakery unless a team admits it according to Profootballtalk.com. For that reason, it seems unlikely that Grant and the Giants will get fined.

Fans were on Twitter complaining about the Giants tactics.

But seriously giants. That's bush league. Don't fake an injury just BC you can't handle hurry up on the goal line. #classless, said Tom Walsh.

Giants=fake injuries=cheating, said Twitter user drrythomas.

I didn't see that Giants fake injury thing last night! That's low! I just lost a lot more respect for the Giants! said David Kneipp.

The incident was all over the blogosphere as well. Many fans compared Grant faking an injury to that of a soccer player.

Not everyone was upset about the move though. One Twitter user, Tulashi, said it was part of the game.

Giants fake an injury is no biggie it's a part of the game done in all sports on all levels. They should have acted a little more believable, he tweeted.

What did you think of the move? Bush league or part of the game?