Giants takeaways, report card from NFL Week 7 loss to Broncos

Grading the Giants’ 33-32 loss to the Broncos on Sunday:

1. This is not about kicking a guy when he is down, but there was a sense once Graham Gano went down with a groin injury that the Giants were not really going with a legitimate NFL kicker on their roster. All they did was move Jude McAtamney up from the practice squad and that did not feel as if the front office and coaching staff were doing all they could to put the team in the best position to win. The league is overflowing with guys seemingly making 55- and 60-yard field goals in their sleep and the Giants were going with a guy who was not able to retain the placekicking duties at Rutgers. Well, this was quite the disaster for McAtamney. He missed two extra point attempts, including one with 37 seconds remaining that he pushed wide right. This is inexcusable. The Giants have Younghoe Koo on their practice squad — he is a proven NFL kicker — and they opted to stick with the unproven McAtamney. That decision came back to bite them in a big way.

2. The Giants have lost nine consecutive road games. It has been more than a full calendar year since they left Seattle in Week 5 last season with a 29-20 victory over the Seahawks. There are two glaring deficiencies that head coach Brian Daboll has been unable to fix these past few years. His team has been lousy at home and there is this losing streak on the road. The losing at home has been subdued, as the Giants actually own a two-game winning “streak” at MetLife Stadium. They are 0-4 this season on the road and they have lost in truly alarming fashion. They blew a lead to lose in overtime in Dallas, they committed five turnovers and blew a lead to the Saints, who were winless at the time. And now this atrocity in Denver.

3. How about Daniel Bellinger? It sure looked as if he was getting phased out last season with the arrival of Theo Johnson. Bellinger kept his mouth shut and did what was asked of him and — take a look at him now. He came into the game having been targeted seven times and he caught all seven passes thrown his way. He made it 8-for-8 with a 15-yard reception on the first series. Then he made it 9-for-9 when Jaxson Dart escaped pressure in the pocket and the Broncos forgot to stick with Bellinger, who was alone to haul in a 44-yard scoring pass. It was Bellinger’s first touchdown reception since his rookie year in 2022. Bellinger ended up with three receptions for 88 yards. He is in a contract year and if the Giants do not want to keep him he will find a job elsewhere.