Giants' Judge downplays analytics: If Excel led to wins, 'Bill Gates would be killing it'

Joe Judge and the New York Giants are under heavy scrutiny after beginning the season 0-3, and the team's aggressiveness - or lack thereof - in close games has attracted attention.

Trailing the previously winless Atlanta Falcons 7-6 in the third quarter this past Sunday, the Giants head coach opted to punt the ball on fourth-and-4 with the ball on the Falcons' 39-yard line. The Giants eventually lost the game 17-14, and that fourth-down call remained a point of discussion when Judge was asked Wednesday about how analytics inform his decisions.

"Analytics is just a tool. It's nice to look at the numbers and how they go through the flow of the game, but the analytics change based on the opponent, based on who you have available for the game, and how the flow of the game is going, too," Judge said.

"You can look at a stat sheet all you want - I promise you, if (Microsoft) Excel was going to win football games, Bill Gates would be killing it right now."

The Giants will look to win their first game of the season when they visit the 2-1 New Orleans Saints on Sunday.