The Giants needed to play a lot of Sunday night time’s sport with no area objective kicker.
Minutes earlier than the opening kickoff in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, the Giants introduced that kicker Graham Gano was questionable to take part within the sport attributable to a groin damage.
Gano didn’t seem within the sport till the fourth quarter, when his 25-yard area objective with 10:12 remaining reduce the Giants’ deficit to 16-9.
He appeared to hunch over barely after kicking the ball.
Gano, 38, didn’t seem on the crew’s damage report all week. And the crew didn’t activate apply squad kicker Jude McAtamney. So one thing clearly occurred throughout warmups.
Gano’s absence impacted the sport instantly.
Despite the fact that punter Jamie Gillan was out there to kick in Gano’s place – and has accomplished so earlier than – Brian Daboll went for a 4th and three from the Chiefs’ 28-yard line on the Giants’ first offensive drive.
Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton batted down Russell Wilson’s move on the line of scrimmage for a turnover on downs, and that set the tone for a irritating night time for the Giants with out Gano out there to place simple factors on the board.
Gillan tried an additional level after Cam Skattebo’s 13-yard speeding landing late within the second quarter, which might have given the Giants a 7-6 lead, however his kick was blocked.
That is the third time in three seasons {that a} kicker damage has accomplished in Daboll’s Giants.
In Week 2 of final season at Washington, Gano aggravated an damage on the sport’s opening kickoff. Gillan missed an additional level after the Giants’ first landing. Daboll unsuccessfully went for 2 after the Giants’ second and third TDs. And the Giants misplaced, 21-18.
In Week 8 of the 2023 season in opposition to the Jets, Daboll had an injured Gano try and miss a 35-yard area objective late within the fourth quarter. And the Giants misplaced in time beyond regulation, 13-10.
