Colts Set to Interview Pair of Playoff Coaches Sunday
The playoffs quickly became an afterthought for the Indianapolis Colts as their season spun out of control. However, they are now set to interview a pair of coaches who got a taste of the postseason and are fresh off of their exit in New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
The Colts dismissed head coach Frank Reich after the team got off to an ugly, 3-5-1 start to the season but then things got even worse under interim head coach Jeff Saturday as the team finished the season 4-12-1 with a total point differential of -138.
Kafka and Martindale are a couple of intriguing names partially behind the drastic turnaround of a Giants team that returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Both in their first seasons in New York with head coach Brian Daboll, both coordinators have been lauded for the job that they did in such a short time.
After developing from a journeyman player and then moving up the coaching ranks behind Andy Reid in Kansas City, Kafka pulled the strings of an offense that saw the emergence of quarterback Daniel Jones and the resurgence of running back Saquon Barkley.
Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tracker
The Giants' offense finished middle of the pack in yardage (18th, 333.9 YPG) and scoring (tied-15th, 21.5), but their run game was fourth in the league (148.2 YPG), they had the second-fewest turnovers (16), and were sixth in red-zone scoring (64.8%). Controlling the tone, maintaining drives, and putting sixes on the board instead of threes led to winning football for New York.
As for the new-look Giants defense, Martindale's arrival paid dividends. Again, their ranks in yardage (25th, 358.2 YPG) and scoring (tied-17th, 21.8 PPG) weren't special but they finished with 41 sacks, were fifth on third downs (35.1%), and 10th in red-zone scoring (52.8%).
While Kafka (35) is more of a young up-and-comer and Martindale (59) is a grizzled veteran, both coaches are forward-thinking schemers and play-callers who are revered by their players. The Colts have a couple of good options in this pair.
The Colts are interviewing a plethora of candidates alongside Kafka and Martindale. Here is the known list of interviewees so far:
- Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator (withdrew name)
- Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator
- Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator
- Eric Bienemy, Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator
- Bubba Ventrone, Indianapolis Colts Special Teams Coordinator
- Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator
- Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator
- Rich Bisaccia, Green Bay Packers Special Teams Coordinator
- Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Coordinator
- Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator
- Mike Kafka, New York Giants Offensive Coordinator
- Wink Martindale, New York Giants Defensive Coordinator
- DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator
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