The New York Giants fell to the Washington Commanders, 21-18, on Sunday afternoon at Northwest Stadium however the sport had been misplaced 24 hours earlier.
On Saturday, because the crew readied themselves for a visit to the Nation’s capital, kicker Graham Gano was added to the damage report with a groin situation. Apply squad kicker Jude McAtamney was not amongst these elevated.
As a substitute, the Giants entered a Week 2 sport with simply 52 gamers on their lively roster after return man Gunner Olszewski was positioned on injured reserve (IR) one week after it was revealed he would miss a number of weeks (probably months). The 2 observe squad elevations have been linebackers Ty Summers and Tomon Fox.
One would assume the Giants realized their lesson in 2023 after they trotted out an injured Gano solely to see him battle in an additional time loss to the Jets. A day later, he was shut down for the season with a knee damage.
However these Giants — and particularly head coach Brian Daboll — don’t study. And on Sunday, historical past repeated itself as Gano was misplaced on the opening kickoff after sustaining a hamstring damage, which can have occurred resulting from overcompensating for the groin damage.
Even when that wasn’t the case, the Giants had no enterprise utilizing Gano on the opening kickoff. That they had an open roster spot and so they determined to play a person quick. Additionally they may have used punter Jamie Gillan on kickoffs, as they did after Gano left the sport.
Right here’s a take a look at how these selections impacted the crew’s snap counts.
Offensive snaps: 56
Defensive snaps: 72
Particular groups snaps: 21
The choice to play a person quick and carry an injured kick had a dramatic ripple impact on the Giants. Not solely was Gillan pressured into the kicking function, lacking his sole further level try and forcing the crew to play four-down ball with solely two-point makes an attempt after scores, however it altered different positions.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock noticed his first motion of the season, serving because the holder on that point-after try. It messed with all the change and price the Giants one level.
The 2 different failed two-point makes an attempt price them 4 factors, which might have been a straightforward two factors had McAtamney been accessible. And in a sport misplaced by three, these 3-5 factors have been the distinction.
Much more ironic, Summers and Fox have been elevated as a result of rookie linebacker Darius Muasau was inactive and fellow linebacker Micah McFadden was coming back from damage. Neither noticed a single protection snap, as an alternative showing solely on particular groups — the very unit that price New York the sport resulting from poor personnel administration.
Remarkably ineptitude.
Ought to we even hassle to debate the almost non-existent function of huge receiver Jalin Hyatt, who by some means took simply 12 snaps whereas Darius Slayton’s penalties and dropped two-point try helped doom the crew?
