PHILADELPHIA — Despite having just two catches last night, Ramses Barden’s impact on the Giants’ 19-17 loss to the Eagles was as big as his 6-6 frame. He kept their last drive alive by drawing two defensive pass interference calls, then killed it with a costly offensive pass interference flag that proved too much to overcome.
On second-and-9 from the Eagles 26 with 25 seconds to play, Eli Manning threw down the right sideline for Barden, but the pass floated and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha had perfect positioning inside. Barden tried to jump over Asomugha, committing a penalty that left them in third-and-19 from the 36. After one incompletion, Lawrence Tynes missed the potential game-winning 54-yard field goal.
“You hate it when it comes down to that, but I guess I didn’t do enough. I need to do more,” said Barden. “We fought hard, we just didn’t come up with enough. … You have no idea [how much it hurts]. It’s a tough one to swallow. … I didn’t take advantage of the play, but I will next time.
“It’s a little bit of a surprise, but it happens. You get through it and you’ve got to move on. … I didn’t know how to react when the flag was thrown. I thought it was on him, but what happens, happens. It’s done. There’s no looking back.’’
With Hakeem Nicks missing another game with a swollen knee and pain in his surgically-repaired foot, Barden saw significant action. He didn’t repeat his monster performance of Week 3, but drew a 21-yard pass interference on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on fourth-and-1 from the Giant 44, then an 8-yard flag on Asomugha, before getting one called against him.
“It was tough. I don’t know. I’ve got to go watch the play,” Barden said. “He had decent position. I’m trying to make a play. I guess I got my arm on him. I was trying to get to the ball, I was trying to break up an interception. I want to be the one to make a play, and nobody else. Nobody on defense, at least.’’
The inexperienced Barden went for the catch instead of simply breaking up the pick, and paid dearly.
“I should’ve thrown a better ball or a different ball and not put Ramses in that situation with the defense over the top of him,” said Manning. “I probably shouldn’t have thrown it where I did so he was put in that situation where he has to pass interference so the ball’s not intercepted.”
“I didn’t know they were going to call it. I just felt the guy draped over me as I was trying to get the ball,” said Asomugha. “Those go either way sometimes. I know if it’s the defensive guy they’re more apt to call it. An offensive guy you never know. I looked around kinda late and I saw the flag. I knew it had to have been on him, no way, because I was looking back for the ball.’’