If the Giants are going to be embroiled in close games, a kick or two could be the difference between winning and losing.
It sure looks as if John Harbaugh’s makeover of the kicking operation is going to result in an upgraded product. Through two games, rookie kicker Dominic Zvada looks good and punter Jordan Stout looks great heading into Sunday’s meeting with the Titans at what figures to be wet and windy MetLife Stadium.
Zvada did not have much to do in the season opener, other than make all four of his extra point attempts. In his second game, Zvada hit a 24-yard field goal late in the first half and then showed his leg strength by nailing a 52-yarder late in the third quarter to account for all his team’s points in a 28-6 loss to the Rams.
“He does not lack confidence,’’ special teams coordinator Chris Horton said. “And I think when you get young guys, sometimes they just have to go out there and they have to do it, right? And they have to do it enough for them to be like, you know what, I belong. And he belongs.’’
The former Michigan kicker went undrafted, and he was not perfect last week. After hitting his first NFL field goal, Zvada sent a kickoff near the end of the first half sailing into the end zone for a touchback.
“I think he was a little excited, but we want to cover kicks,’’ Horton said. “If we can, we want to put the ball in play to kill some time there.’’
Stout has been as advertised — one of the top punters in the league. He was mostly a bystander in Week 1, as the offense went 4-for-4 in the red zone and he was needed for only one punt. That inactivity was not going to last. He punted six times against the Rams and averaged a robust 52.5 yards. One of his punts was launched from the back of the end zone and forced returner Xavier Smith to drift back, back, back to make an over-the-shoulder catch on the Rams’ 25-yard line. That punt sailed 78 yards.
Rainy and windy conditions could make everything — including kicking and punting — a difficult assignment. It will be, as they always say, the same for both sides.
“We can’t replicate the weather, but what we can do is trust our process,’’ Horton said. “And that process has taken us up until this point. And as we get out there pregame, we’ll kind of see what the weather’s doing.’’
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