LANDOVER, Md. — A Predictable Meltdown for the Giants
The disaster that unfolded on Sunday was so foreseeable that any seasoned observer of the New York Giants could almost watch it play out in real-time. Washington’s Austin Ekeler sprinted through a cluster of players and dashed into the open field during the Giants’ opening kickoff in their 21-18 loss. The long return forced Giants kicker Graham Gano to chase him down, resulting in a catastrophic outcome.
Gano pulled his hamstring while attempting to keep up with Ekeler as he sped towards the end zone. Although the touchdown was nullified due to a holding penalty, Gano was left in agony on the field. Losing the kicker on the very first play of the game would have been just another entry in the long list of unfortunate breaks that have plagued the Giants during their seemingly endless run of incompetence—if it hadn’t felt so avoidable.
Gano had been included on the injury report the previous Saturday due to a groin issue. He experienced enough discomfort during pregame warmups to disrupt his usual routine and retreat to the locker room for a groin wrap. With this clear warning sign, the Giants had ample opportunity to implement a backup plan for their 37-year-old kicker.
The most straightforward solution would have been to elevate kicker Jude McAtamney from the practice squad on Saturday, providing a ready-made insurance policy. However, even after deciding against elevating McAtamney, the Giants could have opted to save Gano by having punter Jamie Gillan handle kickoffs. This would have preserved Gano for crucial field goals and extra points, eliminating the need for him to chase down any returners.
But in true Giants fashion, these decisions turned into haunting mistakes. Gillan, who had made only 1-of-2 field goals in his six-year career, ended up missing the extra point after the Giants’ first touchdown. Consequently, coach Brian Daboll opted to go for 2-point conversions after the team’s last two scores. He also decided against a 40-yard field goal on fourth-and-4 with just over two minutes remaining in a tie game.
Both 2-point attempts failed, and rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who had an impressive game with 10 catches for 127 yards and one touchdown, faced a crucial moment when he dropped a pass on the fourth down. The Commanders subsequently drove downfield and kicked the game-winning field goal. In a cruel twist of fate, Austin Seibert, whom Washington had signed just days earlier, went a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals.
In a game decided by just three points, the Giants faltered on three extra-point attempts due to Gano’s injury and opted against a potential go-ahead field goal because Daboll lacked confidence in Gillan. “We thought Graham would be OK,” Daboll explained. “He got hurt chasing down a runner. It was a hamstring. He didn’t hurt his groin.”
These are the kinds of calamities that lead to inquiries about a coach’s job security just two games into his third season. When asked about his job security in light of the team’s struggles, Daboll maintained a composed demeanor, stating, “I’ve done this for a long time. My focus is on our football team,” although he directed a pointed glare at the reporter who posed the question.
This was Daboll’s only tense moment during a news conference where he otherwise praised his team’s competitiveness, highlighted quarterback Daniel Jones’ performance, and noted the improvements made since their 28-6 loss to the Vikings in Week 1. However, he visibly lost his cool after slamming his headset to the ground as Seibert’s 30-yard game-winning field goal sailed through the uprights at the last moment.
The rapid decline in Daboll’s fortunes is striking. He was named Coach of the Year just 18 months ago following a surprisingly successful debut season. Yet now, the Giants have a record of 6-13 since the start of last season and a disappointing 9-18-1 since the midpoint of Daboll’s first year.
What was once a promising tenure has devolved into a series of missteps. Personnel blunders, such as the mishandling of Gano’s situation, have become alarmingly frequent. It’s worth noting that the Giants have faced a similar predicament before with Gano. Early last season, he dealt with a left knee injury but continued to play until he missed two field goals in a narrow 13-10 overtime loss to the Jets in Week 8. Gano was ultimately sidelined and underwent season-ending knee surgery.
Another recent misstep involved returner Gunner Olszewski, who suffered a groin injury during practice ahead of the second preseason game. Although he was deemed fit to play leading into Week 1, he reinjured his groin during pregame warmups and has since been placed on injured reserve, missing at least four weeks. The Giants were left without an experienced returner, forcing wide receiver Darius Slayton into punt return duties, where he struggled, fumbling the ball but fortunately recovering it with the help of a teammate.
These troubling mistakes are largely within the control of Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. They differ from allowing the Commanders, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, to convert 50 percent of their third downs or to rush for 215 yards—a situation influenced by a range of factors. However, setting the game day lineup is a task that even a fantasy football owner could manage. It wasn’t a complex puzzle to have McAtamney ready to play, either.
- The Giants used their two practice squad elevations on linebackers Ty Summers and Tomon Fox, neither of whom took a defensive snap but were present for every kickoff, kickoff return, and punt return.
- Could the Giants have utilized other players on their active roster for those 13 plays? Absolutely, but even that wasn’t strictly necessary.
- With only 52 players on their 53-man roster after placing Olszewski on IR, they could have signed Summers to the 53-man roster and elevated McAtamney, thus ensuring a backup plan for Gano.
They would have only needed to make one player inactive, likely surviving without their No. 5 defensive tackle Jordon Riley for a handful of snaps—especially given the importance of having a backup kicker ready to step in.
“All the decisions that are made are mine,” Daboll stated, while also acknowledging that roster decisions are a collective effort with Schoen. These types of errors reflect an overall lack of organization. The benefit of the doubt that came from the unexpected success of Year 1 has dwindled. Now, Daboll faces the daunting task of finding a way to steer the team away from this downward spiral.
The first two games of the season were anticipated to be the easier part of the schedule. Despite the Giants’ long history of struggles over the past decade, they had at least been able to count on victories against Washington. With that safety net now gone, it’s increasingly difficult to see where the next wins will come from.
Daboll is left with the challenge of uncovering that path forward. Games like Sunday’s only serve to erode faith in his capability to do so. (Photo: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
