Head coach Brian Daboll trusting that Graham Gano would be good to go left the New York Giants without a healthy placekicker in what became a frustrating 21-18 loss at the Washington Commanders in Week 2.
Analysts and fans understandably have ripped Daboll for not elevating Jude McAtamney from the practice squad so McAtamney could kick at Washington’s Northwest Stadium, but Gano had his coach’s back while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.
“I don’t know why he would [get criticized],” Gano said about Daboll, as shared by Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “The hamstring, nobody knew that was coming at all. I think that’s kind of ridiculous if that’s the case. The groin thing, I was able to kick fully with it. There was no real difference between me hitting balls with it and fully healthy. I was able to back it up to 60 yards and be very accurate.”
As Gano alluded to, he carried a groin issue into Sunday morning but nevertheless remained New York’s only active placekicker through the start of the Washington game. However, he then became unavailable for the remainder of the contest after he hurt his hamstring on the opening kickoff.
Without Gano, the Giants were unable to attempt a late field goal that could’ve put them ahead. The Commanders ultimately won thanks to a walk-off field goal of their own.
Daboll got defensive while speaking with reporters shortly after the defeat and suggested that Gano’s hamstring injury had nothing to do with the groin problem. Gano said on Wednesday he feels people are “searching for a story that’s not really there” amid the Giants’ 0-2 start.
“The groin is something I was going to be able to play with really easily,” Gano added. “I’ve dealt with groin stuff before. That was not concerning to me at all.”
The Giants have since placed Gano on injured reserve and signed Greg Joseph off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad ahead of this Sunday’s matchup at the 1-1 Cleveland Browns.
As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Giants as 6.5-point underdogs against Cleveland.
