Giants might’ve just hilariously exposed what’s behind the kicking mess
Practice makes perfect — or at least, it’s supposed to. But for the New York Giants, that might not be the case. In what felt like an accidental admission, special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial may have just revealed why Big Blue’s kicking issues won’t go away.
The G-Men have looked cursed when it comes to kicking the football. Botched roster decisions, last-minute injury swaps, and poorly timed misses have become the norm for a Giants team that can’t seem to shake the ghosts from this part of the operation. It’s been horrifically frustrating — and on Thursday, we may have gotten a glimpse as to why.
Related: Giants’ never-ending kicker mess just exposed their biggest leadership flaw
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Ghobrial peeled back the curtain on the weekly routine for the kickers. When asked how many field goals they attempt during a practice week, he offered an answer that was surprising — or maybe not, depending on how long you’ve been watching this team:
"Traditionally, kickers kick two times a week. In that, whether they kick a Wednesday, Thursday, or whether they kick a Wednesday, Friday, you're usually aiming to have anywhere between 20 to 45 balls."
Michael Ghobrial
Uhh... that's it?
Giants’ special teams struggles traced back to baffling practice habits
You might be surprised to hear that I’m not the special teams coordinator for an NFL franchise, but even I could tell you that feels low — like, really low. That’s anywhere between 40–90 kicks per week.
Now it’s all starting to make sense why this organization can’t figure out how to put the ball through the uprights on Sundays.
- 2023: The Giants let an injured Graham Gano play through a groin issue in a 13-10 overtime loss to the Jets, where he missed two critical field goals. It cost them the game and should’ve been a red flag moment for the front office.
- 2024: Despite Gano landing on the injury report again before Week 2, the team didn’t elevate a backup. He aggravated his groin on the opening kickoff, leaving punter Jamie Gillan to kick extra points. He missed his first PAT badly, forcing two-point attempts the rest of the way in a 21-18 loss. Three extra point makes would've at least sent the game to overtime.
- 2025: After finally placing Gano on IR, the G-Men signed veteran Younghoe Koo to the practice squad but kept second-year Irishman Jude McAtamney on the active roster. He missed three PATs in two games, and the team dropped yet another one-point game.
New season, same nightmare.
Even if 40–90 kicks is “normal,” shouldn’t this team be doing more to counter the ongoing issues? If practice really does make perfect, maybe the answer isn’t fewer reps — it’s the right ones. Just spitballing here.
The Giants released McAtamney, only to re-sign him to the practice squad the next morning. Koo is still with him, waiting for another shot to kick in the big leagues. The team officially opened Gano’s 21-day practice window on Wednesday, hinting at a return for their Week 8 matchup in Philadelphia.
For a unit that’s lost games on the margins, this stuff shouldn’t still be happening. But at least now fans finally understand why no lead ever feels safe — the kickers haven’t been getting enough practice reps to keep it that way.
Colts gets big Josh Downs injury update ahead of Titans matchup
The Indianapolis Colts will face off against the Tennessee Titans for the second and final time in the regular season, and they’ll be getting one of their key receivers back, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“Colts WR Josh Downs has cleared concussion protocol, coach Shane Steichen announced,” Rapoport wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Downs entered concussion protocol after the Colts’ Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals, and he didn’t play against the Los Angeles Chargers. With Downs out, Daniel Jones had to rely on Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, and others, and it was enough to get them the win.
Getting Downs back is big for the Colts, as he’s recorded 26 catches this season for 217 yards and one touchdown. Out of 26 of Downs’ receptions, 15 of them have been for first downs.
Jones has been getting his receivers in easy situations to make plays, which has been the big difference with the team this season. When the Colts played the Titans earlier this season, they won 41-20, and Pittman made some comments after the game that showed that the opposing team wasn’t ready for what was coming to them.
“Saw it on the pre-game intros. They kinda looked a little sluggish, they were kinda walking around, nobody was really bouncing,” Pittman said. “Right then and there we all sat there and were like ‘They don’t want to play today.’”
The Titans will look a little different this time around, with them firing Brian Callahan since then, and they may come out with some better energy. It probably won’t matter to the Colts, as they’ll be ready for whatever the Titans throw at them.
The Colts are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, and as they get Downs back on offense, they’ll continue to play at a high level.
