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Giants kicker has total meltdown in loss to Broncos

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 8:16 PM ET

The New York Giants suffered a stunning loss to the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s Week 7 game, and many fingers will be pointed at their kicker for his role in it.

The Giants allowed 33 points in the fourth quarter and blew a 19-0 lead to lose 33-32 to the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Co. One of the biggest reasons the Broncos were able to come back were the Giants’ kicking woes.

Jude McAtamney, currently handling the Giants’ kicking duties in place of the injured Graham Gano, missed an extra point in the second quarter that would have put the Giants up 14-0. They wound up going for two after their next score but failed to convert, so they were two points off the pace. The Broncos successfully converted a pair of two-point conversions during their comeback, allowing them to take a 30-26 lead with 1:51 to go in the fourth quarter.

The Giants responded and scored a touchdown to put them ahead 32-30. However, McAtamney proceeded to miss his second extra point of the game.

MISSED EXTRA POINT

2-PT GAME

CBS | @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/A9F153tmeO
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) October 19, 2025

The second miss meant that a Denver field goal would win them the game instead of just sending it to overtime. That was precisely what happened, as the Broncos needed just two plays to set Wil Lutz up for a game-winning 39-yard field goal and a 33-32 victory.

McAtamney was an undrafted free agent who actually lost his job as kicker in his final year at Rutgers. He impressed the Giants in a tryout, and the team has kept him on the practice squad as an emergency kicker for the last two seasons. The 25-year-old had made all his field goals and missed one extra point entering Sunday’s game, but the Giants had not allowed him to attempt a kick from beyond 31 yards out.

The Giants unquestionably should not have been in this situation to begin with, as their defense gave up 33 points in a quarter. The microscope will fall on McAtamney, however, given his high-profile misses. The Giants may well be in the market for a kicker this week, as this devastating loss pretty much ruined all the good vibes that had been around the team lately.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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