In the aftermath of the Giants’ 21-18 loss to the Commanders, head coach Brian Daboll faced a barrage of questions regarding the team’s handling of the kicker position. The issue at hand stemmed from the decision not to elevate kicker Jude McAtamney from the practice squad or sign him to the active roster after Graham Gano was added to the injury report with a groin injury.
The Giants, who had 52 players on their roster following Gunner Olszewski’s placement on injured reserve, found themselves in a precarious situation when Gano injured his hamstring while attempting to chase down a Commanders returner on a 100-yard touchdown that was nullified by a penalty. Unable to continue, Gano’s absence left the Giants without a designated kicker, resulting in a missed extra point and failed two-point conversions.
Even the idea of having punter Jamie Gillan attempt a 40-yard field goal on fourth-and-four was dismissed by the Giants, ultimately leading to a missed opportunity in a game that was tied 18-18 with just over two minutes remaining. In the post-game press conference, Daboll defended the team’s decision-making, emphasizing that Gano’s hamstring injury was unforeseeable.
“We thought he’d be good to go. We talked to him, we talked to the trainers. I can’t tell you he’s gonna get hurt chasing down a 100-yard kickoff return that’s gonna be called back,” Daboll explained.
However, the scrutiny surrounding Daboll’s coaching decisions has heightened, especially with a record of 6-13 since last season. As the Giants brace for a challenging matchup against the Browns next week, the pressure on Daboll to deliver a win will only intensify.
