New York Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor wanted T.J. Watt on and “island.” As the saying goes, and as we warned at the time, be careful what you wish for. By the end of Monday night, the only island he probably wants is a private one to get away from the Internet roasting the heck out of his comments.
Watt took over the game in the second half of the Steelers’ 26-18 win. He finished with seven tackles and two sacks, including a critical strip/sack fumble of Giants QB Daniel Jones that got the ball back moments after Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson fumbled it away. It thwarted a golden opportunity for the Giants, down eight points, to tie the game. And it was an “island” moment, Watt and Eluemunor 1-on-1 as Watt beat him around the edge.
Watt also drew a holding call against him, the only thing that prevented another sack of QB Daniel Jones.
For those who missed it or want the refresher, a confident Eluemunor told reporters last Thursday that he wanted all the smoke against Watt in Monday night’s matchup.
“I love it. I’ve been telling you, I’m the most confident guy in this locker room,” he told reporters via the Giants’ YouTube channel when asked about facing Watt. “I think you can see that through my play this year. I want to be on an island with him all day.”
The Internet didn’t forget his comments. Starting with J.J. Watt, who had the receipts ready for the moment.
Steelers DL DeMarvin Leal, currently on IR with a neck injury, got his shots in with these pair of tweets.
And Freezing Cold Takes also put him on blast.
In fairness, Eluemunor is a competitive guy who has legitimately grown throughout his career. He’s gone from backup to starter, first with the Las Vegas Raiders and now with the Giants. His comments were also made in an effort to help New York out on the other side, the team struggling to find a left tackle to replace the injured Andrew Thomas. Former Steeler Chris Hubbard got the nod and was toasted by Alex Highsmith throughout the game. So Eluemunor was trying to take charge in the hopes his play could be good-enough to give New York protection flexibility.
Watt had a relative quiet start to the game, in part because the Giants gave him extra attention as every offense does. But when the most crucial plays of the game had to be made and the two were left on an island, Watt won the day.
With the bye, maybe Watt will head to an island and sip some piña coladas for a job well done. For Eluemunor, it’s probably best not to check his Twitter mentions for the next couple days.
