When the Giants realized Joe Judge would shock everyone

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The Giants categorized all the advance information they could gather on Joe Judge and, from afar, he was impressive enough to be on the list of seven candidates they wanted to bring in for a day-long meeting.

The credentials were there but, after all, Judge had just turned 38 and the Giants needed to get the vibe he could lead their coaching operation.

Then Judge came in and clinched the head coaching job based on his Monday meeting with the Giants.

Those in the room sensed right away this was not a young guy who might be in over his head. Judge was spectacularly prepared — guided by mentors Nick Saban and Bill Belichick — and thorough. He gave off a toughness they might not have known…