Don't look now, but New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan has quitely had a solid season.
Gillan, who signed a two-year, $4 million contract last off-season after what could best be described as an inconsistent 2022 campaign, is currently tied for eighth in the league in net punting average (43.1) and is tied for first in ball placement inside the 20 with 33. His performance has made Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay notice how much of an asset Gillan has become.
"Yeah, Jamie Gillan is doing an unbelievable job this year," Clay said. "He is pinning returners, taking away their way of north and south. He is putting it outside the numbers with some good hang time and allows the gunners to make a lot of plays."
To help Gillan with his consistency, an area in which he's had past struggles, Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey has incorporated more rugby-style kicks for Gillan into game plans, the style being one that Gillan is very comfortable performing.
Those kicks, executed in strategic spots, combined with the coverage Gillan has gotten from gunners Darnay Holmes and Nick McCloud and the rest of the punt coverage team, have resulted in the Giants limiting opposing punt returners to just 5.6 yards per return, second in the league.
"T-Mac (McGaughey) does an unbelievable job giving out some different formations that you got to study and make sure you’re on point in case they want to try something funky out of it," Clay said.
Gillan, who was listed on the Giants injury report this week with a groin issue in his left (plant) leg but who didn't receive an injury designation, will lead a punt coverage unit that should prove to be a nice matchup for the Eagles, who are currently averaging 13.7 yards per punt return, which is fourth in the league.
Britain Covey, an undrafted free agent out of Utah, has been leading the way for the Eagles on punt return, having returned 25 punts for 343 yards, including a long of 52 yards this season against the Bucs.
He's called for just 14 catches, and his average return yards currently ranks fourth in the league among punt returners with at least ten returns this season.
Clay admitted that keeping the Eagles atop the league in outing return yards will be tough against Gillan and the Giants.
"It puts extra stress on not the players, but myself, to make sure the game plan is pretty good to get us as many yards as possible," he said. "It is going to be a big challenge. They have done an unbelievable job. It’ll be a good one with our punt return team and the success we’ve had against a very good punt team."
More must-reads: