Dominic Zvada isn’t going anywhere, at least for now.
Despite the rookie kicker missing a pair of field goals in Sunday’s 27-21 overtime win in Houston — including a 44-yarder just before halftime — head coach John Harbaugh said Monday the Giants were sticking with Zvada.
Asked if there were any plans to bring in competition for the strong-legged rookie, Harbaugh said, “We’re not gonna be doing that right now, no.”
That doesn’t mean those plans won’t change if he continues to struggle.
Zvada also missed a 56-yarder earlier in the game, and the Giants opted not to go for a 55-yard attempt in the second half.
Making matters worse for the undrafted Zvada, he was unable to force a return on his overtime kickoff, instead giving the Texans a touchback, just as he did with the Saints a week earlier.
Zvada did convert all three extra-point attempts in Sunday’s win, but after starting his career 9-for-9 on field goal attempts, he’s just 4-for-9 since.
Harbaugh defended Zvada following the victory in Houston, saying, “I’m not really worried about Zvada. He just has to do it. But I’m totally confident he will because I know how good he is and know what a good head he has.”
The Giants had a turnstile at the position a year ago, as they were forced to use five different kickers — including punter Jamie Gillan.
This year, they’ve stuck with Zvada, whose longest made field goal is 56 yards, and he’s yet to miss in a dozen extra-point attempts.
Harbaugh said he didn’t agree with the unnecessary roughness penalty called on Cam Skattebo in the first quarter, when the running back ran over safety M.J. Stewart.
Officials ruled that Skattebo illegally used his helmet to make contact, negating a 7-yard run.
“I understand the idea, but I also understand human physiology and anatomy and the way the body works,’’ Harbaugh said. “[Skattebo] runs low. You have to run low to protect the football. You have to run low to protect your body. When you run low, your head is down there, too. You can’t move your head off your shoulders. It’s a physical impossibility.”
The coach was also confident Skattebo, who had fumble issues result in a benching a week ago, didn’t intentionally hit Stewart with his helmet.
“I’m quite sure [Skattebo]’s not trying to use his helmet as a weapon,” Harbaugh said. “That’s not the way he’s thinking. He’s leading with his shoulder. That’s what he’s trying to do. He’s trying to keep his head in a good, upright position, but his pads are down there low. That’s a good thing. That’s the way you’re supposed to run. I didn’t have a problem with the technique, personally, at all. But we haven’t heard from the league. Maybe they’ll be able to enlighten us in terms of what they want us to teach and that would be great.”
Harbaugh said he was “day to day” Monday after being tackled by Devin Singletary following Singletary’s game-winning touchdown.
“It’s so terrible,’’ Harbaugh said with a smile of his failure to stay on his feet. “As I was going down, all I could think was I just felt like a total non-athlete, over the hill [and] washed up. I don’t know. I just felt so weak, so pathetic.”
