The Mike Kafka era as the New York Giants head coach wasn’t much different on Sunday.
New York suffered another crushing loss in Week 11, this time at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, 27-20, extending their losing streak to five games and dropping to 2-9 for the second straight season. This was yet another game the Giants had a chance to win but somehow managed to blow — thanks to the defense once again proving its ineptitude and the offense stalling out on two long drives, including a game-sealing interception from Jameis Winston in the end zone.
With another preventable loss in the books, what can fans take away from Sunday’s game against Green Bay?
4 questions NY Giants want answered after latest collapse
Does Abdul Carter have a future with the Giants?
This would have been crazy to say six months ago when the Giants drafted Abdul Carter third overall. He entered the draft as a highly touted generational talent — so much so that once he arrived, he wanted to wear Lawrence Taylor’s number. Let’s be glad Taylor didn’t approve that request, as the pass rusher’s rookie season has been a downright disappointment.
Carter didn't play on the Giants’ first defensive drive of the afternoon, as Kafka admitted after the game that it was his decision to bench the former Nittany Lion on the first series after he fell asleep during the team’s walk-through practice this past Wednesday. That is certainly not a good look for a player who was not only touted throughout the draft process but was selected as high as he was.
The third overall pick has yet to record a whole sack this season, with just half a sack coming all the way back in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. And after this latest inexcusable behavior, to go along with his inability to replicate the success he had at Penn State, it is a fair argument whether or not he has a future in New York.
Should we be encouraged by Mike Kafka's agressiveness in his head coaching debut?
All things considered, this wasn’t a bad head coaching debut — or perhaps an audition to be a head coach in the future — for Kafka. Despite coming up short, Kafka was certainly aggressive in calling plays, as the Giants went for it on fourth down four times, converting three of them. One of those failed play calls came in the red zone when Jameis Winston took a sack to end a promising 17-play drive.
However, going up against a playoff-contending team like the Packers less than a week after a major head coaching shakeup, Kafka, at least for the most part, showed he can be an aggressive and solid head coach in the NFL down the road. It will be interesting to see how these final eight games look for the Giants with Kafka at the helm, but he has at least proven in his debut that he could be a good head coaching hire for any team.
Why is Jalin Hyatt still on this team?
Remarkably, Jalin Hyatt is still on this team. Maybe Joe Schoen is hoping to prove that Hyatt can be a salvageable draft selection after he was picked in the third round back in 2023. But after his latest late-game effort on Sunday — or lack thereof — it’s time to move on.
Related: Giants legend drops scathing truth bomb on Jalin Hyatt after inexcusable effort
With the G-Men down by seven in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter and in prime position to tie the game, Winston threw a costly interception in the end zone that killed any hopes of the G-Men tying it. But that throw was not on Winston, as he was looking to find Hyatt in the end zone (who is still in search of his first NFL touchdown), but Hyatt seemingly stopped his route, resulting in the interception.
This is just yet another example of how much of a bust Hyatt has been in the NFL. After his promising rookie season in 2023, the wideout has a combined 13 catches for just 97 yards. Enough is enough. Joe, you blew it with this draft pick... and it is time to move on.
When will Shane Bowen be shown the door?
At this point, it’s malpractice that Shane Bowen is still the Giants’ defensive coordinator after yet another blown fourth-quarter lead. While it is all but certain that Bowen will be gone regardless, why not cut ties now?
So far this year, the Giants rank 23rd in the NFL in pass defense, 30th in run defense, and have averaged less than a turnover a game, which is 28th in all of football. This defense has also allowed 20 points or more in eight of 11 games, and 30 points or more in four games — including a three-week stretch where they allowed 30-plus. This season, New York’s defense has also failed to hold onto double-digit leads on the road in the fourth quarter a whopping four times.
If these stats are not a fireable offense, I don’t know what is. While it may be too late to fire Bowen with the Giants sitting at 2-9, he still, however, does not deserve to have a job as a defensive coach.