Giants are not making any staff changes this week, interim coach Mike Kafka says

When Mike Kafka took over as interim coach of the New York Giants after the firing of Brian Daboll, he said he would evaluate everything.

Following another blown fourth-quarter lead that caused a fifth consecutive loss and dropped the Giants to 2-9 this season, Kafka is not planning to make any changes to his staff this week before playing at Detroit on Sunday.

“I would say status quo,” Kafka said Monday on a video call with reporters. “I wouldn’t anticipate any. As a matter of fact, we’re going to go and attack this week. I’m excited for this week of prep. The coaches are excited about it.”

Status quo means Shane Bowen remains in his role as defensive coordinator. His unit allowed 27 points to Green Bay, which had scored 20 combined over the previous two weeks, including a seven-play, 65-yard touchdown drive in just over three minutes that provided the final margin of defeat.

The Giants had a chance to win despite that. Jameis Winston was intercepted in the end zone with 36 seconds left, and the journeyman quarterback was sacked and fumbled on the game’s final play.

It’s unclear if rookie Jaxson Dart will be cleared to face the Lions, or whether Winston will make back-to-back starts. Kafka said Dart remains in concussion protocol.

“I’m just going to see that through, talk with the medical (staff) and when they give us the thumbs-up, then we’ll take the next action,” Kafka said.

What’s working

The run game got rolling, piling up 142 yards between backs Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary and Winston. Tracy had 19 carries for 88 yards, while Singletary rushed for two touchdowns.

“Big guys up front, they were moving guys,” Singletary said. “But we expected that. We knew they were capable of that. Me and Trace, all we had to do was run. Even the receivers got in on it, the tight ends got in on all the dirty work, so that was big for us.”

What needs help

While the pass rush got to Jordan Love and put the Packers QB under duress all afternoon, he was still able to connect with receivers downfield because of lapses in coverage. It did not help that No. 1 cornerback Paulson Adebo was a late scratch because of knee soreness, missing yet another game since his last action in mid-October.

Deonte Banks struggled defending against the pass and the run, particularly Emanuel Wilson’s 11-yard TD on which he provided very little resistance. The 2023 first-round draft pick has not made much of a case to be part of New York’s future.

Stock up

The Giants have been looking for someone — anyone — to step up at wide receiver since losing Malik Nabers to a season-ending knee injury, so last week they brought back a favorite of the Daboll era by signing Isaiah Hodgins off Pittsburgh’s practice squad. Hodgins led the team with five catches for 57 yards.

“Short notice, coming in on a Thursday and being a huge part of the offense, critical fourth downs, critical third downs, critical blocks on the perimeter, this guy just stepped up,” Kafka said.

Stock down

Offensive lineman Evan Neal’s final snap with the team that selected him with the seventh pick in the 2022 draft may have come on Dec. 29, 2024. After getting moved from tackle to guard in the hopes of reviving his career, Neal has not played this season and was put on injured reserve over the weekend.

Kafka said Neal got hurt doing a workout and that doctors decided IR was the best course of action.

Injuries

Dart’s status is the biggest question moving forward, along with Adebo. Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux missed the Packers game with a shoulder injury.

Key number

10 1/2 — Points the Lions are favored by over the Giants, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

What’s next

Make sure Dart does not do anything to damage his long-term health. Kafka and others inside the organization have tried to talk to the 22-year-old about not taking unnecessary hits, though they also don’t want to take away from Dart’s aggressiveness.

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