Younghoe Koo might be the latest winner in the game of musical chairs among Giants’ kickers.
With Graham Gano (neck) injured and not practicing, head coach Brian Daboll declared Thursday that Younghoe Koo will be ready to go for Sunday’s road game against the Bears.
That ended the speculation that the Giants could turn back to Jude McAtamaney – who filled in for Gano for four games earlier this season – if Gano is sidelined.
“We’re going to get Koo ready to go,” Daboll said, “and if he has to be the guy, he’ll be the guy.”
Gano reported to the facility Monday with a “sore neck,” Daboll said, but did not mention anything during Sunday’s game.
He missed a 45-yard goal in his second game back from injured reserve (groin).
After the loss to the 49ers, Gano defended his track record in an interview with The Post by pointing out that he only has missed three kicks (18-of-21 on field goals, 24-of-25 on PATs) in two years.
The bigger issue is that he has missed 20 games in three years — and he has played injured in three games where the Giants’ inability to kick was a difference-maker.
“Only miss all day — warm-ups and all,” Gano told The Post. “Have to hit that one. … My job is to make my kicks, which I’ve been doing a pretty damn good job of.”
The Giants are not going back to McAtamney, a second-year pro who is on the practice squad through an international roster exemption.
He missed three PATs, including two in the Giants’ 33-32 loss to the Broncos.
Koo was cut by the Falcons after going 2-for-3 in Week 1. He has made 85.8 percent of his field goals during an eight-year career.
“Koo has kicked really well, so we’d have ultimate confidence with him going out there,” special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said. “He has the experience of being in a lot of NFL stadiums. Coming here, understanding the operation, getting his specific hold the exact way that he wants it, I think was important. It’s been very rhythmic and it’s been replicated over and over again to where it’s consistent now.”
If Koo kicks, he will be the seventh different player to attempt a PAT or field goal over the last three years.
Credit: Source link
