Mistakes Plague Giants in Week Two Loss

For the 11th time in the last 13 years, the New York Giants have started the season 0-2. This troubling trend highlights the franchise's ongoing struggles since winning Super Bowl 46 over a decade ago. Last Sunday, a series of mistakes overshadowed what could have been a solid performance by the team. Despite scoring three touchdowns on offense and keeping the Commanders out of the end zone, the Giants couldn’t capitalize. So, where did it all go wrong?

One major issue was the Giants' kicking situation. Graham Gano, dealing with injuries for the past two seasons, entered the game on Sunday already banged up. Despite pregame concerns about his health, the Giants didn’t have a backup plan in place. Predictably, Gano suffered another injury during the opening kickoff. Head Coach Brian Daboll later stated that this injury was unrelated to Gano's previous groin issue. Nonetheless, it’s hard to justify why the Giants didn’t have a backup kicker available, especially when the roster is currently sitting at 51 players, two short of the limit. A kicker was on their practice squad, but the team chose to roll with Gano, who was visibly limping before the game.

After Gano's injury, the Giants were forced to rely on punter Jamie Gillan for field goals, but he missed his only attempt. As a result, the team was left with no choice but to go for it on every fourth down within Washington territory. While this aggressive approach worked at times, it ultimately backfired in the final moments of the game. With under two minutes remaining, New York went for it on fourth down, only for rookie Malik Nabers to drop a crucial pass. Washington took over and quickly set up for the game-winning field goal.

Though the kicking game was a significant factor, it wasn't the sole reason for the Giants’ loss. Defensively, new coordinator Shane Bowen’s game plan failed to account for the Commanders’ strengths. While New York managed to hold Washington to seven field goals and no touchdowns, the defense couldn’t force a single drive-ending stop. The Giants consistently played soft coverage, allowing rookie QB Jayden Daniels to exploit easy throws underneath and behind the line of scrimmage. It was surprising that Bowen didn’t dial up more pressure on the rookie, especially given how other defenses, like the Texans with Caleb Williams, successfully disrupted rookie QBs with constant pressure.

Additionally, the Giants' run defense was porous, leaving gaping holes for Washington’s running backs. This lack of resistance compounded New York’s struggles, as the defense—despite lofty expectations coming into the season—has disappointed through the first two weeks.

Looking ahead, things don’t get any easier for the Giants. They face the Browns in Cleveland next week, followed by games against the Cowboys, Eagles, and Seahawks. Last Sunday’s loss was seen as a must-win to set the season on the right path, but with this difficult stretch of games ahead, New York is already behind the curve. Normally, hitting the panic button after two weeks might be premature, but the Giants have displayed worrisome incompetence across the board. If these issues aren’t addressed soon, changes could be looming for the team’s staff.