Jameis Winston's Bark Gets Ignored

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A quarterback's voice can be a trap. Before the ball moves, he calls signals that help teammates time their start.

A hard count changes the rhythm or emphasis, tempting defenders to cross the line early and give away a penalty.

Jameis Winston tried the karaoke edition.

According to ESPN, the Giants quarterback shouted the Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out" against Washington on Thursday night, finishing with emphatic cries of "Who! Who!"

The Commanders did not jump. Apparently, admission to this concert did not include audience participation.

The Giants led 21-17 and faced fourth-and-1 near their own goal line. They wanted Washington to commit a penalty rather than actually run a play.

Instead, New York took a 5-yard penalty and punted with 3:27 remaining.

This was rehearsed. Winston said the team had practiced the musical signals.

The defense, regrettably, had not agreed to join the chorus.

Washington eventually won 24-21. That does not make the song responsible for the defeat; it makes it an unsuccessful attempt to steal a useful penalty.

The useful lesson: defenders can beat a hard count by waiting for the ball instead of guessing from the voice. Sometimes elite athletic discipline looks exactly like refusing karaoke.

Repost for everyone who has survived mandatory audience participation.

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