The New York Giants punched their NFC Playoff ticket on Sunday, defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 38-10, at MetLife Stadium.
For the Giants, it will be their first playoff appearance since 2016.
Fans may vividly remember that 2016 playoff run because of the controversy leading up to it and the controversy in its aftermath.
The week prior to taking on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, several Giants players, including wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Roger Lewis Jr., joined rapper Trey Songz and several others for a yacht cruise in Miami.
A picture from the cruise leaked online, went viral and gained infamy. Many believe it also placed a curse on the franchise as they endured a half-decade of misery after the leak.
That “curse” began with a 38-13 drubbing at the hands of Green Bay followed by Odell punching a hole in the Lambeau Field wall.
Following Sunday’s win over the Colts, Lewis Jr. tweeted out the picture with a warning to current Giants players: Don’t repeat history.
New York Giants going to the playoffs since 2016… please don’t have a yacht party and can we let go of this picture please I waited patiently 6 years😂💻 pic.twitter.com/Pd6xhIrb2L
— Roger Lewis (@OttoLewis_) January 1, 2023
Although Lewis’ tweet was tongue-in-cheek, it does exemplify the dark shadow that moment cast over those players and the team. Cruz once admitted that it will haunt him for the rest of his life.
You can bet that Brian Daboll’s crew won’t make the same mistake Ben McAdoo’s crew did. Whether or not that will lead to a wildcard victory remains to be seen.
