The New York Giants are back to work after their late-season bye week, preapring to host the Washington Commanders this weekend. Interim head coach Mike Kafka kicked off the week by discussing his hopes for the end of the season, as well as other topics.
“Focus on how we can improve”
At 2-11, the season has not gone the way anyone hoped or envisioned it would. That is how Kafka ended up as the coach to begin with. His message to players over the final four weeks is to simply continue trying to get better.
“I think what the messaging has been is really just focusing on today, focusing on this week, not look ahead four weeks in the future, just focus on how we can improve,” Kafka said. “Regardless of the record, I mean, our focus and our vision is on Washington and how we can improve as a team, how we improve individually, and then as a group, and then as a team. So, again, our coordinators and our coaches have a really clear plan on how we want to do that, how we want to attack it. So now it’s about bringing that to life.
“I think as an NFL football player, you want to be able to maximize yourself, and that’s what our challenge is as coaching staff, is to continue to maximize our players. So, putting them in a good position, continuing to have an aggressive mindset, and then attacking this week with great urgency.”
Self scouting “opened my eyes”
Kafka said that during the bye week he “had some time to reflect and think about the first three weeks [of his tenure as interim head coach], think about kind of the future of it and what we wanted to get accomplished” over the final four weeks.
Kafka has been the team’s interim head coach for three games. He has fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and assistant defensive line coach, twice benched rookie edge defender Abdul Carter, and had to make a variety of other decisions for the first time in his coaching career.
“If there’s problems and there’s issues, then being able to be a problem solver and be an asset and clean those things up that I think need to get cleaned up. And then the things that are working really well, you build on that,” Kafka said. “I think there’s just a lot of opportunity for growth across the board with our players, with our coaches, with our staff, how we can continue to grow and get better. And having this bye week really opened my eyes to some of those areas as best I can and in the amount of time I have to do that.
“Because, again, I come to the office, there’s things you got to make sure you touch base with the players, the staff, but then also there’s a game planning part. We have a game we have to play and getting that stuff organized. I’m lucky to have a great staff. I’m lucky to have a great group around me that can support me and kind of keep me on track. And then wherever I can, insert myself and put my fingerprint on it.”
Kafka said part of his reflection has been on his play-calling.
“I’m looking at call sheets saying, ‘why didn’t I ever get back to this play or this series of ideas’. Just taking notes, looking at the notes from the post-game stuff and thoughts that we had after the game, things that we really liked that we wanted to get to,” Kafka said. “So, just being really critical of myself on things that our players do really well and how can we get to those things more?”
Practice windows opened
Kafka announced that the Giants will open the practice windows for cornerback Art Green and linebacker Darius Muasau to return from injured reserve. Green has been out since Week 8 with a hamstring injury. Muasau has been out since suffering an ankle injury Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Kafka said that linebacker Micah McFadden, out since suffering a foot injury in the season-opening game against the Washington Commanders, has “a chance” to return before the season ends.
“I think he does have a chance,” Kafka said. “Don’t know when. Don’t have a timeline there yet, but I think he definitely has a chance. He’s certainly walking around with his chest pumped out a little bit more these days.
“He’s itching to get out there. And I know as soon as our training staff feels like it’s appropriate, we’ll get him out there. I know he’s chomping at the bit to be out there with his teammates and contribute in any way possible.”
Firing of assistant coach Bryan Cox
Kafka did not elaborate on the reason for the firing last week of assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox.
“I’m not going to get into the details of what happened with B. Cox, just the same as I’m not going to get into the details of how we handle our players. Those are tough decisions, but I’m going to keep those in-house just out of respect for everybody,” Kafka said. “But, I mean, the one thing I will say is being in this job for the last few weeks, having to make some decisions and some of them have been very public. Many of them haven’t been.
“I think what I’ve learned is how can we continue to put this team in the best position to win games. And that’s what I’m evaluating. So, everything top to bottom, taking the time to do that, being very detailed, I would say just having a good pulse of what this team needs and understanding how I want to get that done and just having a clear message there. So, that’s what we thought was best for the team. That’s what I thought was best for the team. So, we went with it.”
More injury updates
Kafka was uncertain if edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) or running back Tyrone Tracy (hip) would be ready to play on Sunday. He said he would have “a better feel” for that on Wednesday when the team goes through a full practice.
See More:
