The New York Giants are 0-2 following their painful 21–18 loss on the road to the Washington Commanders in Week 2. The game was ultimately decided by special teams after an injury to the Giants’ starting kicker Graham Gano left the team in a compromising position.
Giants: Graham Gano reacts to his Week 2 injury
Gano entered the game after popping up on the injury report on Saturday with a groin injury. Despite his injury, Giants head coach Brian Daboll decided against elevating a kicker from the practice squad to the active roster. That decision proved to be costly after Gano suffered a hamstring injury chasing down the Commanders’ return specialist on the game’s opening kickoff.
Following the game, Gano spoke to the media and reacted to his injury, which he deemed to be “tough luck:”
“I don’t think I missed many field goals at all in warmups. Just tough luck,” Gano said per Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post. “Just tough luck. My groin was what it was. Everybody fights with something in warmups. Everything was fine with my hamstring.”
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The veteran kicker added that it was the first hamstring injury he has suffered in his 15-year career. Gano missed time last season with a knee injury that he ultimately had surgery to repair, landing him on injured reserve after eight games.
The Giants had punter Jamie Gillan attempt an extra point following their opening-drive touchdown, but after he shanked it wide right, they opted to go for two on their following two point-after tries. They also forewent an opportunity to kick a field goal late in the game, going for it on fourth down, and turning the ball over on downs. The Commanders then took over and marched down the field to score a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The extent of Gano’s injury is to be determined. Giants fans will be keeping a close eye on the veteran kicker as the team decides whether or not to place him on injured reserve or call up Jude McTominay from the practice squad next week.