The New York Giants offense last year wasn’t just bad, it was borderline unwatchable. Sixteen points a game. Dead last in red zone touchdowns. A passing attack that couldn't move the ball downfield to save its life. Head coach Brian Daboll had the headset for every one of those drives, and now things have gotten desperate enough for some quiet changes.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s return to playcalling isn’t going to magically turn the G-Men into the 2018 Chiefs overnight, but it’s not nothing. Kafka spent five seasons under Andy Reid, worked with Patrick Mahomes, and actually had the offense looking like one in 2022 before everything went sideways. Saturday’s preseason opener in Buffalo is the first semi-look at what that could mean.
Related: Jaxson Dart just confirmed what Giants fans hoped was true about Brian Daboll
Nobody’s expecting the full playbook in August. You’ll get the vanilla install. Some quick game. A couple of deep shots if Jaxson Dart’s in. But that’s still enough to see if there’s a pulse. And if you watched this group last year, a pulse would be a nice start.
Mike Kafka’s preseason debut matters just as much as everyone else's
The challenge for Kafka is obvious: Get this offense moving without trying to reinvent the wheel and do too much. This is still a fragile offense. The Giants have more ways to move the ball than they did a year ago, and Kafka finally has the chance to show what that looks like.
With or without the starters out there, there’s still enough juice and depth to give us a glimpse at how he wants to run this thing.
The real intrigue Saturday is in the rhythm. Daboll’s offense in 2024 had no tempo. Drives felt like they lasted three hours just to net a punt. Kafka’s history leans toward faster decision-making, getting quarterbacks into comfortable throws early, and forcing defenses to work the entire field (such is the life with Mahomes).
But even if the game plan’s watered down and Big Blue is Mahomes-less, you can still tell if the offense looks moderately functional — which is all fans can ask for at this point. You'd hate to ask for too much.
This is also a test for communication. Preseason might be vanilla, but it’s still a chance for Kafka to get comfortable relaying calls, adjusting on the fly, and syncing up with whoever’s under center. That rhythm matters when the real games start, and the earlier it clicks for this team, the better.
It’s only preseason, can't stress that enough, but you’re not wrong for wanting to see signs of life. The Giants have spent two years suffocating under bad execution and worse playcalling. Changing playcallers isn't inherently exciting, but it could be what gets this team going. Kafka’s back with the keys, and Buffalo’s the first chance to see if he’s ready to finally give this offense some gas.