Giants DC Shane Bowen and special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial take blame for breakdown in Denver
Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen during training camp in East Rutherford, N.J., on Aug. 6. Credit: Ed Murray
Thursday was truth-telling day for the Giants, as two more coaches fell on their swords for the collapse against the Broncos.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial began their weekly news conferences with opening statements taking blame for Sunday’s 33-32 loss. Neither typically starts his availability like that, but given how the game ended — with the Giant allowing 33 fourth-quarter points and blowing 19-0 and 26-8 leads — it seemed fitting.
“We have to do a better job getting these guys in positions to execute, make plays in the fourth quarter,” Bowen said. “With that being said, I also have to make sure our best guys are on the field in those critical times. But I believe in the guys in the room. I believe in our coaches. I believe in our players.”
Bowen was referring to the Giants’ final defensive series, when Dexter Lawrence was not on the field for the first play. The Giants rushed three and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed a pass to get his team closer to field-goal range.
Bowen defended the call to rush three, given that the Broncos had no timeouts, and didn’t elaborate on the process behind not playing Lawrence. But he took ownership of keeping him sidelined to start the series.
“I have to do a better job. I have to make sure he’s out there on the field,” Bowen said.
Ghobrial began by taking blame for Jude McAtamney missing two extra points. McAtamney was waived Tuesday but was re-signed to the practice squad Thursday via the international exemption.
Coach Brian Daboll said after the loss that the snap operation was bad on the first point-after attempt in the first quarter. But the second one, after Jaxson Dart’s touchdown with 37 seconds left, was just a miss wide.
Ghobrial said that regardless of whether the snap or hold is bad, it’s on him to make things run cleanly. Having three PAT misses in two weeks is too many to tolerate.
“We don’t have four downs to get it right, and those misses are on me. We’ve got to be better,” Ghobrial said. “These games are decided by a score differential of six points or less, over 50% of these games. When you don’t execute on fourth down, whatever unit it is, especially when it comes to points, that hurts.”
It’s a sign the Giants (2-5) know they need to get a lot right Sunday against the Eagles. That happened Oct. 9 when nearly everything went right en route to a 34-17 Giants win that snapped an eight-game NFC East losing streak. The defense contained running back Saquon Barkley and forced two turnovers, including Jalen Hurts’ only interception of the season. The Giants converted a season-high four PATs, although McAtamney missed one.
This week gives the defense and special teams a chance to atone for last Sunday. The Giants likely will have kicker Graham Gano back after he missed the previous four weeks with a groin injury.
Gano was a full participant in Thursday’s practice and participated in a typical workout in which Ghobrial said each kicker has between 20 and 45 attempts.
“You just have to make sure that he’s at full health and he’s kicking the ball well,” Ghobrial said. “Those are things that going into the week you’ll never jeopardize if somebody is somewhat hurt or is still coming back, all that stuff.”
Bowen appreciated his players having his back. He spoke with them about what went wrong in Denver, whether it was how they blew the big lead or didn’t execute on the final drive.
Ultimately, what happens Sunday will determine if Bowen and Ghobrial taking ownership was mere talk or motivation for both units to fix their lingering issues.
“Get back out there, get this taste out of our mouth, lean on the guys, lean on the coaches, we’re in this thing together,” Bowen said. “One way or another — good, bad, indifferent — we’re in this thing together.”
Blue notes
LB Brian Burns (hip), CB Paulson Adebo (knee), DL Chauncey Golston (neck) and S Jevon Holland (knee) didn’t practice for the second consecutive day . . . C John Michael Schmitz cleared the concussion protocol Thursday and was a full participant in practice . . . The Giants signed WR Ray-Ray McCloud III to the practice squad after he was released by the Falcons on Tuesday.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
