Brian Daboll defends Giants’ Graham Gano decision after injury disaster

LANDOVER, Md. — Once again, the Giants were bitten by not being prepared for the worst-case scenario. 

Kicker Graham Gano, who entered Sunday’s game with a groin injury, injured his hamstring trying to make a touchdown-saving tackle on the first play of the game and the decision to not have an insurance policy available cost the Giants at least three — and maybe six — points in a 21-18 walk-off loss to the Commanders. 

“We thought Graham would be OK,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “He didn’t hurt his groin. He hurt his hamstring.” 

Sure, but is there not a situation where favoring a groin can lead to a hamstring injury? 

“I’m not a doctor,” Daboll said. 

So what does an actual doctor think?

“A groin and hamstring are distinctly different,” said Dr. David Chao, a former Chargers head physician who now runs Sports Injury Center. 

“It’s very difficult for a kicker to play with a groin injury — nearly impossible if it’s on his kicking leg. But there’s no question that injuries beget other injuries and you are more likely to be injured. Based on my 17 years of experience as a head NFL physician it’s risky to play kickers that aren’t 100 percent, especially kickers with a lower-body muscle injury because there is only one active.”

It was an easily preventable mess that felt a lot like déjà vu for the Giants. 

Gano was added to the injury report after Saturday’s walk-through, but the Giants chose not to elevate rookie Jude McAtamney from the practice squad in case Gano was hurt or to handle kickoffs and lessen Gano’s workload.

It appeared that Gano was laboring through his pregame warm-up and cut short his routine. 

“I don’t think I missed many field goals at all in warm-ups. Just tough luck,” said Gano, who said it is his first-ever hamstring injury “My groin was what it was. Everybody fights with something in warm-ups. Everything was fine with my hamstring.” 

A holding penalty took Austin Ekeler’s kickoff return touchdown off the board — the Commanders later settled for a field goal — but did not create a time warp.

In other words, the Giants still lost Gano and had to ask punter Jamie Gillan, who was 1-for-2 on field goals in his career, to pull double duty. 

After one missed PAT by Gillan, Daboll tossed that plan in the fire despite circumstances begging for one point.

The Giants tried (and failed) on two-point conversions after taking a 12-9 lead and again after taking an 18-15 lead. 

The Giants could’ve made it a two-score game with 11:35 remaining by converting a PAT but Daniel Jones’ incompletion to Darius Slayton left the door open.

Gillan then had a short kickoff landing-zone violation that gifted a drive starting at the 40-yard line which led to a game-tying field goal. 

“I liked the play we had,” Daboll said. “I felt comfortable with what we did.” 

Biggest of all, the Giants had to go for a fourth-and-3 right before the two-minute warning instead of attempting a 40-yard tiebreaking field goal.

Malik Nabers dropped the pass at the end of a dynamic game. 

“I’m not making excuses,” Daboll said. “All the decisions that are made are mine.” 

Just last week, the Giants turned to an injured Gunner Olszewski to return punts even after he looked hobbled returning from a groin injury in training camp.

Olszewski re-injured his groin during pre-game warm-ups, and Slayton fumbled a punt return when he was forced into a role that he has practiced for years but rarely needs to do during games. 

Just last season, the previously automatic Gano struggled kicking through a knee injury.

He missed a field goal in a win against Washington and then made just 1 of 3 field goals in an overtime loss to the Jets, missing a chip shot that would’ve all but clinched a win in regulation right before being shut down for the season. 

“I think Graham would’ve been good,” Daboll said, “if he didn’t pull his hamstring.”