Brian Daboll Noncommittal on Giants Kicker for Thursday Night

Daboll wasn't happy with the missed 48-yard field goal in Week 3.

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph (1) kicks a field goal during the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

While New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is happy to have emerged victorious in the team’s Week 3 game against the Cleveland Browns, he’s not thrilled with the missed field goal by new kicker Greg Joseph.

Joseph, who was chosen to fill in for Graham Gano while Gano sits on IR recovering from a hamstring pull suffered in Week 2, had a chance to give the Giants a more comfortable lead in their game against the Brown. With the score 21-15 at the time, Joseph attempted a 48-yard field goal that would have made the score 24-15, but the kick sailed wide right. 

Fortunately for the Giants, their defense held the Browns to a three-and-out on the ensuing drive, the Browns never crossing into Giants' territory. New York then sealed the win on the game's final drive when running back Devin Singletary burst through the right end for a 43-yard run before giving himself up at the 1-yard-line.

Daboll was noncommittal about who would kick in Thursday night’s game against the Cowboys.

“We'll sit down and talk personnel stuff later today,” he said, adding, “But again, you'd like him obviously to make that kick. He didn't, but he's done a good job when he was here in practice and we'll talk about what we're gonna do here.

Daboll deflected when asked if it makes sense to make a change on such a short work week.

“I'm not saying we're going there,” he said. “I haven't even met with the special teams coaches yet.”

But when asked point-blank if Joseph would be the kicker Thursday night, Daboll said, “Yeah, I didn't say that.”

Last year, the Giants, once they put Gano on injured reserve with a knee injury, had punter Jamie Gillan and kickers Randy Bullock and Mason Crosby do their place-kicking for them. 

The group combined to make 22 of 31 field goal attempts for a 70.9 percent conversion rate, with most of the misses coming from 40+ yards.

The Giants have already had three different kickers this season: Gano, Gillan, and Joseph. They are a combined two-of-three in field goal attempts (66.6 percent).

They signed Joseph off the Lions practice squad last week, so they are obligated to carry him on the 53-man roster for another two weeks.

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