Leave it to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to ruin the New York Giants’ good time. He ruined Jameis Winston's Big Blue debut under center and Mike Kafka's only chance to win his first game as interim head coach. He’s been doing exactly that ever since he walked through the door in 2024, and it’s more obvious than ever that he’s not long for the job.
Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers was another clear indictment of Bowen’s ineptitude. At this point, it’s bonkers to expect anything to change with the 38-year-old calling the defense. No in-game adjustments, no accountability — nothing. While his unit didn’t blow a double-digit fourth-quarter lead this time, Kafka’s debut still got spoiled by the same issues this defense has had all year.
Stop me if you've heard this before: the defense couldn’t stop the Packers from scoring the go-ahead touchdown late, blowing yet another late lead.
It’s rinse and repeat with no end in sight. The blind loyalty to Bowen needs to stop. And fortunately for Giants fans, it just might. According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, after firing head coach Brian Daboll, more coaching changes could be coming — specifically for Bowen. And it’s about time.
Mike Kafka has one obvious move after Giants' Week 11 loss and it’s firing Shane Bowen
How the second-year DC has made it this far into the season is objectively insane. He has zero situational awareness, makes head-scratching personnel decisions, and can’t hold a lead to save his life.
Bowen’s incompetence played a huge part in Daboll’s firing. The now-former head coach kept turning a blind eye to his DC’s failures — and it cost him his job. Somehow, it didn’t cost Bowen his. And here we are again, with another loss full of fireable offenses.
For fans wondering how Bowen survived while Daboll didn’t, Hughes reported the front office wanted Kafka to handle any further staffing changes once he took over. They wanted him to get a feel for the coaching room before making any big decisions — including whether to keep or replace Bowen.
After an up-close and personal view of Week 11's defensive shortcomings, it feels like that decision has been made for him.
Two names come to mind as potential in-house replacements: Marquand Manuel (secondary coach) and Andre Patterson (defensive line coach). Either could follow Kafka’s path to an interim promotion. If the Giants decide to go bold, Antonio Pierce — the former linebacker and Raiders head coach — is a fun name to throw around.
It'd be horrifically unlikely to bring in an outside voice at this stage of the season, but the Giants are 2-9, riding a five-game losing streak, and are essentially playing for the 2026 Draft. Why not have a little fun along the way in the hopes they find something special? Throw literally anything and everything at the wall and see what sticks, because it's obvious the old way isn't working.
Either way, Bowen has to go. And all signs point to Monday being the day Mike Kafka makes the decision Daboll wouldn't.