FOXBOROUGH — Another game, another kicking mishap for the Giants.
It wasn’t Graham Gano suffering a pregame injury that limited scoring possibilities. Or Jude McAtamney missing two PATs that were the difference in a one-point loss.
On Monday, it was Younghoe Koo aborting the approach to a 47-yard field goal at a time when the 33-15 loss to the Patriots was still close.
“I was approaching the ball and, cold weather, the ball kind of slipped out at the bottom so it was moving,” Koo said. “I wasn’t able to kick through the ball. The ball was moving when I was driving to it, so I just pulled up on it.”
With the Giants trailing 17-7 in the second quarter, holder Jamie Gillan — a punter by trade who had a 94-yard kick returned for a touchdown in the game — tried to salvage the play by running around to find a receiver but was “sacked” for a 13-yard loss.
Giants place kicker Younghoe Koo (37) makes an extra point during the second quarter against the New England Patriots. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Koo is one of six placekickers the Giants have used over the past three seasons. He said something similar happened to him in the past.
“Jamie did a good job of catching it and putting it back,” Koo said, “but, at that point, it was too late.”
The 225th regular-season game played by a team with Russell Wilson on the roster marked a dubious first in a probable Hall of Fame career.
It was the first time that Wilson was a healthy scratch, serving as the emergency third-string Giants quarterback behind Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston against the Patriots.
Wilson started the first 144 games of his career for the Seahawks — a streak that was snapped by an extensor tendon rupture (three games missed) in 2021.
Injuries caused him to miss two games for the 2022 Broncos and six for the 2024 Steelers.
The closest thing that Wilson had experienced to the humbling of Monday was in 2023, when he was benched by the Broncos because he refused to waive the injury guarantee in his contract.
Unlike when the Giants and Daniel Jones had a similar issue that led to Jones’ demotion to third-stringer and eventual peacekeeping release last season, Wilson stayed with the Broncos as their No. 2 quarterback.
He did not play in either of the final two games, but was active on game days.
Wilson, 37, started the first three games of this season and then served as the backup for the next nine: Seven times behind Dart and then two behind Winston while Dart was recovering from a concussion.
When Dart returned to the lineup, Winston remained ahead of Wilson on the depth chart.
The Giants elevated LB Swayze Bozeman and WR Dalen Cambre from the practice squad before the game. Each has maxed out his three elevations this season.
OLB Tomon Fox was signed to the 53-man roster with the expectation that he will be released for the fourth time this season.
Gunner Olszewski suffered a concussion after losing a fumble on a kickoff return.
He was replaced as the punt returner by safety Jevón Holland, who made a fourth-quarter fair catch.
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hip) was helped off the field without putting pressure on his leg and then carted into the locker room in the fourth quarter.
WR Jalin Hyatt was a healthy scratch.
