Graham Gano’s Injury on Opening Kickoff Hurts Giants’ Chances

In a surprising turn of events during the contest on Sunday, the New York Giants found themselves without a kicker following the opening kickoff, ultimately affecting their performance in a closely contested game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. The Giants lost the game 21-18, despite scoring three touchdowns while their opponents failed to score any.

Austin Seibert notably contributed to the Commanders’ victory by kicking seven field goals, a total that ranks among the highest in NFL history for a single game. The absence of a reliable kicking option for New York emerged as a significant factor in their strategy. Graham Gano sustained a hamstring injury while attempting to chase down a returner, leaving the Giants to make crucial decisions throughout the match.

New York’s struggle with kicking was evident, as they managed only one extra point attempt which punter Jamie Gillan missed early in the first quarter. Giants head coach Brian Daboll expressed his disappointment regarding the injury. “Feel bad for Graham. Feel bad for us,” he said, though he refrained from making excuses for the loss.

As the game reached a tense moment in the fourth quarter, the score was tied at 18, putting the Giants in a pivotal position deep within Commanders’ territory. Rather than attempting a field goal with Gillan, Daboll made the decision to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the Commanders’ 22-yard line. Gillan had kicked successfully for the Giants in the previous season, including a 40-yard field goal in New Orleans.

Daboll believed it was a better strategy to rely on quarterback Daniel Jones to connect with wide receiver Malik Nabers than to risk a field goal attempt. “We went for it there at the end of the game. Thought our chances were good throwing it… but it was the way we were playing that was better than making a 39- or 40-yard field goal,” he said.

The Giants entered the game aware of Gano’s existing injury concerns. He was added to the injury report just a day prior with a right groin issue, and the injury he suffered on the field was to his right hamstring. Daboll minimized the relationship between the two injuries, stating, “He didn’t hurt his groin; he hurt his hamstring,” while admitting he wasn’t qualified to determine any connection between them.

Interestingly, Gano had previously gone into the locker room during warmups to address his groin issue. Upon returning, he managed to make a 60-yard attempt, which indicated he was in good form before the injury occurred. “Of course it was bothering me but I was fine. I was hitting the ball great, making a lot of kicks. The hamstring, that’s just bad luck,” he remarked.

Gano’s previous experience with injuries plays a role in the current situation. Last season, he played through a knee injury, which led to some uncharacteristic missed field goals in a loss against the New York Jets. Ultimately, he underwent surgery to address that injury.

Despite their knowledge of Gano’s condition, the Giants chose not to elevate a backup kicker from their practice squad prior to the game. Instead, they opted to promote linebackers Ty Summers and Tomon Fox. When asked about the decision-making process, Daboll wouldn’t confirm if elevating kicker Jude McAtamney was a serious consideration. “We talk about a lot of things. We thought [Gano would] be good to go,” he explained.

Unfortunately for the Giants, Gano’s injury occurred during a chase of Austin Ekeler on a play that had been ruled a 98-yard return for a touchdown, though a penalty nullified that score. This series of events put New York at a significant disadvantage.

This loss leaves the Giants at 0-2 for the season, despite Daboll’s praise for his quarterback’s performance. Jones, facing intense scrutiny after a poor start to the season, threw two touchdown passes without turning the ball over. However, the kicker’s absence loomed too large to overcome.

Jones reflected on the game, stating, “Yeah, I don’t think we are going to make excuses. There were numerous things we could have done better and needed to work on, but we are not going to make excuses. There are things we’ll work on and fix going forward, and that’s what I’m focused on.”