3 ways that Mike Kafka can improve the NY Giants offense as play caller
By Zak Musso
On Feb. 3, the NY Giants announced the hiring of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback coach Mike Kafka as their new offensive coordinator. The hiring of Kafka marked a systemic shift in the how the Giants franchise operates.
The franchise hired Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, who had no prior connection to the Giants, in late January, and Daboll continued the theme by hiring Kafka, who had no prior connection to either Daboll or the Giants (Kafka was briefly a quarterback on the Patriots when Daboll was the tight ends coach in 2013).
Kafka coming over to the Giants from Kansas City is quite exciting. After the last two seasons were filled with Joe Judge and Jason Garrett’s stone age offense, Kafka brings over aspects of the Chiefs O which was the most explosive, creative, and dynamic one in football. While the 2022 Giants offense will feature concepts of both Daboll’s Buffalo offense and Kafka’s Kansas City offense, the Giants offense will certainly be creative.
After Daboll played a long game of chicken all offseason about whether he will call plays, the Giants announced recently that Kafka would be the play caller for the preseason game against the Patriots. All indications are that Kafka will be the play caller this season. Here are three ways Kafka can improve the New York Giants offense.
3. Feature the playmakers
The No. 1 item on Kafka’s list as play caller this season: get the ball in the hands of his best players. Last season, in a stat that went viral in an attempt to troll the Giants franchise, left tackle Andrew Thomas had more touchdowns (1) than the Giants two most talented wide receivers, Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay (0) combined.
While Toney and Golladay get some of the blame for their lackluster 2021 seasons, the coaching staff did not make enough of an attempt to get the ball to them. Last season, Golladay received only 76 targets in 14 games played, in contrast to his back-to-back career seasons in Detroit in 2018 and 2019 when he received 119 and 116 targets. Playmakers cannot produce when they don’t have the ball.
The Giants have a plethora of playmakers available for Kafka this season. Toney and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson excel in getting yards after the catch by making defenders miss. Golladay excels in a deep balls and contested catch situations. Saquon Barkley is an explosive running back that, when healthy, excels with his power, speed and explosiveness. Kafka has a lot of weapons at his disposal and getting the ball in their hands will make good things happen for the Giants offense in 2022.