New York Giants Bench Abdul Carter To Begin New England Patriots Game

For the second time in just three weeks, the talented Linebacker Abdul Carter found himself freezing on the sidelines in a winter coat rather than rushing the passer. As the New England Patriots marched down the field on an 11-play opening drive during Monday Night Football, Carter was merely a spectator. It was a visual that screamed “disciplinary action,” and sure enough, reports confirmed that Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka had benched the rookie for a violation of team rules.

Carter Struggles With Punctuality In Debut Season

While the exact specifics of this latest infraction remain a bit of a locker room mystery, the writing is on the wall—and it’s written in bold, red Sharpie. Carter is developing a reputation, and not the kind that gets you to the Pro Bowl.

Just two weeks prior, before a matchup against the Packers, Carter missed a 15-minute walkthrough. The team narrative suggested he was asleep; Carter adamantly claimed he was in a recovery bed receiving treatment and got confused by schedule changes implemented after Brian Daboll’s firing. “My mistake was an honest mistake,” Carter said at the time. “I own the fact that it was an honest mistake.”

Honest or not, once is an accident. Twice? That’s a trend. And in a league that stands for “Not For Long,” giving a new coaching staff reasons to doubt your commitment is a dangerous game to play.

The Impact Of Benching a Talent Like Carter

The frustration for Giants fans, and likely for Kafka, is that the kid can flat-out play. This isn’t a case of a fringe roster guy showing up late. This is a high-ceiling defender the Giants desperately need.

After serving his penance (which lasted the entire first quarter), Carter finally shed the parka and entered the game in the second quarter. Almost immediately, he proved why the coaching staff puts up with the headaches. He made a crucial stop on a third-and-short, blowing up a play and forcing a punt. It was a flash of brilliance that highlighted the tug-of-war currently happening in New York: talent versus discipline.

What Comes Next?

The Giants escaped the first quarter, giving up only a field goal, so the benching didn’t cost them the game immediately. However, the message Kafka is sending is loud and clear: nobody is above the program.

For Carter, the equation is simple. Buy a second alarm clock. Sync your Google Calendar. Do whatever it takes to be in the room when the meeting starts. Because right now, the biggest opponent Carter faces isn’t an offensive tackle or a quarterback—it’s his own schedule management. If he can figure that out, he’s going to be a star. If not, he’s going to be the most talented guy on the waiver wire.