Jayden Daniels stayed undefeated against the New York Giants in his three-year career as the Washington Commanders earned a 24–21 win at rain-soaked MetLife Stadium on Thursday night.
The divisional matchup began as a sloppy, low-scoring game before the teams traded scores in the second half. For Giants fans, one missed opportunity may have stood out: Dominic Zvada’s 33-yard field-goal attempt late in the first quarter. New York ultimately lost by three points.
## Harbaugh Says He Believes in Zvada
After the game, Giants head coach John Harbaugh urged patience with the rookie kicker despite his recent struggles.
“We’re confident [in Zvada]. As soon as a guy doesn’t make a play, you can’t start firing people left and right. Especially your kicker, who’s a rookie. I’m confident that he’s going to become a good kicker,” Harbaugh told reporters.
Harbaugh added that the team would not make a sudden change halfway through the season. He said he believes Zvada is talented and expects him to make more kicks, while emphasizing that the opportunity is there for the kicker to prove himself.
Zvada, an undrafted free agent, opened the season by making his first nine kicks but has missed six since then. On New York’s opening drive against Washington, the Giants chose to punt rather than attempt a 55-yard field goal, a decision that raised questions about the team’s confidence in him.
## Giants Urged to Bring in Competition
After the loss, SNY’s Connor Hughes questioned why the Giants had not brought in a veteran kicker to compete with Zvada. Hughes noted that the missed 33-yard attempt came in a game New York lost by three points and argued that the team could not afford to give away scoring opportunities while waiting for a rookie to find consistency.
Hughes suggested adding a veteran to push Zvada in practice, rather than necessarily replacing him. With a long week ahead, the Giants could consider working out veteran kickers and adding competition to the position.
