The Detroit Lions (6-4) and New York Giants (2-9) will square off in a Week 12 battle at Ford Field. While the Lions will be looking to get back to their winning ways, the Giants are trying to salvage what looks like a lost season.
“This team has been in a ton of these games,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday. “And a few of these games, they’ve been up a couple of scores and lost a tight one there a few times. And so they’ve been in most of these games, had a chance to win them, they’re competitive, they play hard. It’s a good unit. I know they made the change a week ago, but they had a chance last week again in that game.”
Ahead of Week 11, the Giants elected to fire head coach Brian Daboll and replace him with offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Mike Kafka. While Kafka’s (Andy Reid, Matt Nagy) background is different than Daboll’s (Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels), it’s difficult to change too much of the playbook mid-season. However, Kafka appears to know what’s on the line and has taken a more aggressive approach to offense, including starting the game on offense (where they took a 7-0 lead), going for it four times on fourth down, and reportedly would’ve gone for two and the win, if they’d scored late in the Packers game.
Let’s take a closer look at the Giants’ coaching staff, the scheme they run, and some scouting notes from previously viewed games.
NFL seasons as a Quarterback: 5 seasons (Eagles, Patriots, Jaguars, Bucs, Vikings, Titans, Bengals)
NFL coaching seasons: Nine (Chiefs 2017-2021, Giants 2022-present)
Head coaching seasons: None
Previous role with Giants: Offensive Coordinator, Assistant Head Coach (2022-present)
Influences: Andy Reid, Brian Daboll, Matt Nagy, Doug Pederson (as a coach), Pat Fitzgerald (college)
Playcaller: Yes
Of note: Kafka was, at times, relieved of his play-calling duties by Daboll in 2023, only to lose them fully in 2024. In 2025, Kafka reassumed that responsibility, only to have Daboll reportedly threaten to take over again in the days before his firing. Kafka will continue to call plays moving forward.
Dan Campbell on playing behind an interim head coach:
“I mean I think there was some fresh energy last week when you watched them against Green Bay. I think sometimes it’s just that newness and you don’t know how long that could possibly last or the rebound on it. But I think just the change itself – something a little bit different, a little bit new, can spark you. And so, yeah, there was a little bit of that. […] And there again, they had a chance to beat Green Bay and just couldn’t finish it out there.”
Offensive coordinator (interim): Tim Kelly
NFL coaching seasons: 12 seasons (Texans 2014-21, Titans 2022-23, Giants 2024-present)
Offensive coordinator seasons: 4 seasons (Texans 2019-21, Titans 2023)
Previous role with the Giants: Tight ends coach (2024-present)
Influences: Bill O’Brien, Mike Kafka, George Godsey, Todd Downing (Matthew Stafford’s QB coach 2011-13)
Offensive scheme
Passing game: Pro Spread
Running scheme: Inside Zone, Gap concepts
Staples of scheme:
- Personnel: 11 (59.3%, 16th), 12 (34.5%, 6th), 13 (4.2%, 16th), 21 (0.85%, 24th)
- Lots of shotgun sets, motion, and pre-snap movement
- Play-action (27.7% with Jaxson Dart, 10th most)
- Spread formations
- Mesh core concepts – double crossing routes at all levels
- Layered passing routes
- Quicker routes, but also incorporate some vertical concepts as well
- Willingness to get QB involved in the run game (Read-option, RPO, and QB power)
- Adopted more variety in their blocking schemes in 2025, stronger focus on gap
Scouting notes (focus on differences under Kafka)
- Kafka went with a short bench — played just 15 players on offense last week
- Still ran a lot of 12 personnel
- Refocused offense on establishing the run (38 carries, 142 yards vs. Packers)
- Attack the middle of the field in the passing game
- Went for it on 4th down four times
- Kafka’s aggressiveness will match Dart’s style
- Jameis Winston is a gunslinger — threw 1 INT, Packers 4 dropped other INT opportunities
- Jalin Hyatt broke off his route on a late-game turnover?
- TE Theo Johnson is a quality safety outlet
- Used a DL (Elijah Chatman) as an FB
- OL is better with John Michael Schmitz at the pivot
- OL holds up in pass protection (Time to pressure: 2.85 seconds, fifth best)
- Giants had 2.4 yards before contact on “inside runs” vs. Packers (way up from season average of 0.7)
- Tyrone Tracy averaged 4.6 ypc vs the Packers, Devon Singletary scored twice
- Run screens to RB into the blitz
Dan Campbell on Giants offense:
“Offensively, it’s a pretty gritty offensive line. They push on you, lot of gap-scheme downhill. Like (RB Tyrone) Tracy, I think he’s a good back. He’s crafty, stronger than he looks, very versatile. (WR Wan’Dale) Robinson, he’s another one, he’ll sneak up on you. He can get open, he’s explosive. And then it’s really about the quarterback who plays. (QB Jaxson) Dart, young promising talent (we’ll) see if he plays. If not, then it’s (QB Jameis) Winston. And know him, he played a lot of football here and big-time arm, can see it, can read it and he can hurt you.”
Dan Campbell on Giants QB Jaxson Dart:
“Well he does give them a spark. He’s kind of an electric player. He’s got some energy about him, he’s tough, plays tough. He’s got the ability to run, and he can kind of break some tackles and keeps his eyes downfield. He can make some pretty big throws. So, he just kind of brings that youthful energy, kind of a little bit of a spark to them that’s unique. You can’t let it get on you. But he’s intriguing. He’s a promising talent.”
Defensive coordinator: Shane Bowen
NFL coaching seasons: 10 seasons (Texans 2016-17, Titans 2018-23, Giants 2024-present)
Defensive coordinator seasons: 5 seasons (Titans 2021-23, Giants 2024-present)
Influences: Mike Vrabel, Dean Pees, Romeo Crennel
Defensive scheme
Base: Attacking 34 (hybrid front)
Coverage: Heavy Man-coverage
Staples of scheme:
- Heavy focus on stopping the run
- Multiple DL front – especially with their EDGE
- Designed to produce pressure in passing situations… but they’ll telegraph it
- 142 Pressures (8th), 23 sacks (19th)
- Pressure rate is just 33.2% (23rd), sack rate is 5.4% (24th)
- Average blitz rate of 25.9% on the season (18th)
- Prefer fire zone blitzes
- Coverages: primarily Cover-1 (34%, 2nd most in NFL), Cover-3 (23%), Cover-4 (16%)
- Run more man coverage (41%) than any team in the NFL (including the Lions, 37%)
- Prefer press-man coverage and concepts
- Play things straight up in coverage, not a lot of disguise
Scouting notes
- 4 blown fourth-quarter leads this season (including last week vs. Packers)
- Run defense is struggling – Packers 23 for 128 (5.6 ypc)
- Rank in the bottom 5 in run defense in multiple categories, including DVOA (32nd), rush yards allowed per game (149.9, 30th), rush yards allowed per play (5.5 ypc, 32nd), EPA per rush allowed (0.16, 32nd), 10+ rushing plays allowed (52, 32nd), success rate (46.2%, 31st), rush yards allowed over expected (455, 32nd), yards before contact (2.12, 32nd), and yards after contact (3.46, 29th).
- NT Dexter Lawrence is not his dominant self… but coming off his best game
- EDGE Brian Burns is the biggest pressure concern = 13 sacks (career high)
- Abdul Carter (third overall pick in 2025 NFL Draft) has underwhelmed with just 0.5 sacks through 11 games
- Injuries in the secondary have limited them
- Several young players in the secondary who once showed promise are regressing
Dan Campbell on the Giants’ defense:
“Defensively, big Dexter Lawrence. Got a lot of respect for him, the way he plays, big man. Can cover ground, get edges, push the pocket, shut down the run, good player. (Brian) Burns, heat off the edge. I think a lot of it starts with those two players.”
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