Why have the Giants become so sensitive toward their cross-town rivals? | Column

Shepard (left) playing against the Washington Redskins in 2018.

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Since when have the New York Giants become so obsessed with how the New York Jets operate on the football field?

Just a day after linebacker Jihad Ward explained that he felt the Jets’ levity on a controversial play in their preseason finale was the cause for some after-play pushing and shoving, one of their offensive players has also chimed in with a completely different issue in regards to Gang Green’s quarterback.

On HBO’s latest episode of “Hard Knocks,” Aaron Rodgers can be heard calling the joint home of the Jets and Giants “Jet-Life Stadium.” The longest-tenured member of the Giants wasn’t too thrilled with the quarterback’s humor though.

“That’s what he called it? Jet Life Stadium? If that’s how he feels then that’s cool. I don’t feel that way. Obviously. I feel like when we step on the turf that’s our home, we want to protect it,” Sterling Shepard told the New York Daily News during practice Thursday.

Jokes on the sideline are not new for NFL teams. Nor is the nickname “Jet-Life Stadium” as some fans and players have playfully used the phrase to describe when the Jets play at home. 

Big Blue’s reaction to that though is certainly surprising. With four Super Bowl championships and seen as a model franchise over the century of NFL history, the New York Football Giants weren’t seen as a team that worried about what other players said or acted like to them. 

It’s also not like the organization hasn’t had its issues with on-field conduct in the last year. In their playoff-clinching win last season over the Colts, then-rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux was seen celebrating a sack even though Indianapolis’ quarterback Nick Foles was clearly hurt on the play. The Giants defended the rookie’s actions then, and it’s not like the Jets were celebrating Cobb’s big hit on Bobby McCain either. Why is one ok but not the other?

Even Rodgers…