Giants kicker injures groin minutes before 'Sunday Night Football'

New York does have backup kicker Jude McAtamney on the practice squad, but McAtamney is not active to play Sunday. That would mean the likeliest option to kick field goals and extra points would be punter Jamie Gillan. Gillan is the field goal formation’s usual holder and return man Gunner Olszewski is the backup holder. One wonders, though, if part of Olszewski’s responsibilities as backup holder requires practicing on both sides, considering Gillan is a lefty.

Per a narrative timeline from Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, Gano came back from the locker room with his helmet and started kicking into the net on the sideline. After a few kicks, though, Gano went to talk to a trainer, and Gillian began taking reps in the kicking net, leading one to believe that Gillan may be the man tapped to fill in for Gano if the veteran kicker truly can’t go.

So far, though one quarter of play, no field goals, extra points, or kickoffs have been attempted by the Giants. It will be interesting to see if Gano ends up being inactive or if his absence affects the way New York calls plays in situations where field goals make sense. Whenever it does kick, it looks like the punter Gillan will be called on for the try.