Mike Kafka’s Week 12 efforts made OT loss far more complicated for Giants

If there were any fans out there who thought interim head coach Mike Kafka would have the New York Giants playing for better draft positioning, they'd better think again. Sitting at 2-9, and losers of five straight, the G-Men played their tails off in Sunday's Jameis Winston-led 34-27 overtime loss against the Detroit Lions.

Related: Giants pull off NFL's craziest trick play in weeks with wild Jameis Winston TD

It hasn’t taken long for Kafka to bring a different energy than what fans were used to under former HC Brian Daboll. From personnel moves to practice structure to actually holding players accountable, he’s checked just about every box since taking over. And it's showing up on Sundays. You can't pin this loss on him. Shane Bowen's defense continues to drag this team to new lows.

In their Week 12 win, the G-Men’s offense was humming. 517 total yards is nothing to sneeze at, but the whole product needs to come together. Who knows — maybe the coordinator-turned-coach’s audition ends up being a little more serious than anyone expected.

Mike Kafka’s trick‑play masterclass shows Giants won’t go away quietly

It was so much more than just the box score numbers. The 38-year-old’s game plan was damn near flawless — a perfect mix of run and pass, with some truly creative play designs. Two trick plays led to two touchdowns, and both were executed to perfection.

The first play coming out of Kafka’s bag of tricks was a twist on the flea flicker — a pitch to running back Devin Singletary, who threw it back to Winston, who then launched a 40-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson.

The second play was even more electric — and, frankly, the most incredible play of all time, and you won’t be able to convince me otherwise. Winston takes the snap in shotgun and runs what looks like a reverse to Gunner Olszewski. Little did we know that was just the setup for a wild pass back to Famous Jameis, who caught it and dragged Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes into the end zone for his first-career receiving touchdown:

Ultimately, it wasn’t enough, and he wasn't perfect, either. The decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the six-yard line while up three, with just under three minutes left, was definitely questionable — but we'll chalk that up to inexperience. He should have just taken the points.

It’s only been two games, but Kafka’s already done enough to make fans — and maybe ownership — take notice. He’s coaching with confidence, the players are responding really well, and for once, the product on the field isn't a complete embarrassment. He's got his guys playing watchable football.

If this keeps up — he'll eventually need some wins to join the efforts — don’t be surprised if the Giants’ next full-time head coach is already in the building. Kafka’s audition is officially underway, and so far, he’s absolutely nailing it.