Giants Country

Giants Changes Made and Not Made Dominate This Week's NY Giants Mailbag

We have a jam-packed mailbag this week with questions mostly about the head coach and GM situations.
Patricia Traina|
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen (left) and former head coach Brian Daboll.
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen (left) and former head coach Brian Daboll. | John Jones-Imagn Images

In this story:

New York Giants

Welcome to the weekly New York Giants On SI Reader Mailbag! From offseason moves to game-day strategies, nothing is off-limits. So, let's dive right into your questions!

James, Dart's been playing football since what, pee-wee level? He's had different coordinators along the way. So no, I don't think it's necessary that he check in with his peers around the league who have gone through a coaching/coordinator change. He might feel differently, though.

The bottom line is he has to sit down and study what the next offensive coordinator brings to the table. And even there, there is no guarantee that the next offensive coordinator won't keep some concepts that the Giants are currently running to ensure that Dart continues to develop.

Bottom line: I think he'll be fine. He's am ambitious young man who wants to be great. If he was lazy, I'd be more concerned.

Per the statement released — and that's all we have to go on at this point until the bye week, when we hear from Schoen and (hopefully) ownership — they have been pleased with the young talent core Schoen has brought in.

Apparently, ownership feels coaching is more of the issue, so we'll see if Kafka can eke out enough wins from these remaining seven games to convince them to remove the "interim" label from his title.

Kevin, it's too premature for me to answer that since they haven't played a game with Kafka calling the shots. Let's circle back in the next mailbag at which point I can give you a better answer as to what changed and what did not.

Kris, I’ve always appreciated what Eli brought to the table. Yes, he was a statue, but I think that was a big reason he avoided major injuries.

The only story that comes to mind was that one season where Eli suffered a high ankle sprain toward the end of the 2013 regular-season finale (against Washington). 

If they had had a game the following week, people inside the building at the time told me it was highly unlikely Manning would have been able to play. The next offseason, I believe he had ankle surgery but didn’t miss a beat.

Nick, Mike Kafka called the plays within the structure of the game plan signed off on by the head coach. Now that he’s the head coach, I’m very curious to see how the game plans change moving forward. I have an idea of what might be different, but let’s see if it happens.

As for why he didn’t get any head coaching jobs, I can’t speak to why–maybe there were concerns by other teams about him coming from a losing program, though I doubt that makes sense. 

It could also have been an experience factor, as Kafka has only been an OC for 4 seasons, and in one of those seasons, he had the play-calling taken away from him. Personally, I have an open mind about his candidacy. Can he be any worse than Daboll? We’ll find out.

Jordan, I think, besides the obvious (more wins than losses), some of what I’ll be looking for includes sound in-game decision-making, better roster management, and just overall consistency moving forward. I don’t want to ask after a game, “What are they doing?” 

I also hope that Kafka, who has a calmer demeanor than Daboll, will bring the intensity while keeping it under control so he’s not popping a cork. Above all, I want to see accountability. Kafka spoke about that in his introductory press conference as interim head coach. I want to see it.

Kevin, ultimately, it’s the general manager who has the final say and is the one who files the paperwork with the league every week, but the head coach is involved in the decision. 

Regarding Humphrey, I don't quite understand that decision, but I have wondered if the fact that Ray-Ray McCloud was with Daboll in Buffalo had something to do with it, or if it was a matter of trying to save pennies by starting the clock on a new player’s three elevations. 

As for carrying two running backs, again, I wonder if, in reviewing the game plan, the coach suggested they wouldn't need another running back or if it's just been a matter of injuries at other positions being an issue. 

This weekend, I think they will put Evan Neal on IR to open up a roster spot. I have to do a bit more research as to how they would fill the spot, but Koo has two more evaluations, the second of which will be this weekend. I also wouldn’t be shocked if they bring up a defensive lineman with Nacho and Golston out.

My guess is ownership views Schoen as the least of the problems right now, which is why they’re not blowing the whole thing up.

I can’t speak for potential head coaching candidates, but you have Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Marcus Mbow, Theo Johnson, and a bunch of other young core players.

You’re likely going to have a top-10 draft pick next year, and once the salary cap is cleaned up, you’re going to have some space to make some moves. So yeah, I’d say the Giants' job is attractive enough.

I don't know for sure, but I would think that if they have another fourth-quarter collapse, then that would do it for Bowen.

Johnny, I sense that it isn’t an audition for Schoen, given that management has stated that he will lead the search for the next head coach. That said, until I see word of Schoen having gotten an extension, I can see why people would think it is an audition.

As for the coaching, it is what it is for the time being. If guys haven't improved by now, I can't see that changing in the last seven games.

I think there is enough blame to go around, but, yes, player development is a big part of it, and that does fall on the coaching staff.

I think some of that has to fall on the players. For example, Deonte Banks has now had two position coaches, and he's still not developing as expected.

Is that on the coaches? I don't think you can say that. Same with Evan Neal, who hasn't developed despite having two position coaches.

Offense: 39.55% conversion rate (14th).  Defense: 37.82% (14th).

What do you think of Antonio Pierce as a possible future defensive coach for the Giants? Also, isn't the GM responsible for hiring and firing the coach? He should have been fired, too. How can he be trusted to hire the next coach? (Fred E.)

New York Giants co-owners Steve Tisch (left) and John Mara have final say over who gets hired as the next head coach.
New York Giants co-owners Steve Tisch (left) and John Mara have final say over who gets hired as the next head coach. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Fred, I wouldn't be opposed to having Antonio Pierce as the defensive coordinator here. I think he’d make a fantastic candidate, and selfishly, I’m rooting for him to be the next guy.

That said, I suspect that if Mike Kafka doesn’t get the job, I wouldn’t be shocked if a defensive-oriented head coach is hired.

And Fred, the general manager, does NOT make the final decision on the general manager. There has been one Giants GM in franchise history who’s had that power: George Young.

Otherwise, everyone after George has been a part of the vetting process, but the final decision has been made by ownership.

Schoen, if he remains, will vet the candidate list and do all the ground work, but ultimately, I believe the decision will be left to John Mara and Steve Tisch.

Based on an arbitrary number of 4 years and 7 players drafted each year, how many players actually made the Giants a better team out of all the players they drafted? I’m thinking terrible drafting is a major cause of a dismal team. (Sheldon S.)

New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal has not worked out for the Giants.
New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal has not worked out for the Giants. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Sheldon, that’s kind of hard to answer at the moment because of the injuries, but there’s no question that player development has been a major issue. 

I did a breakdown of Schoen’s drafts on my podcast. Also at the end of the year I’m going to do a four-year recap and see how the Giants stacked up versus that of whoever wins the NFC East. 

What’s your take on Schoen as a GM and why would you trust him to pick the next coach? (Don M.)

Don, I did a comprehensive and objective breakdown of the job done by Joe Schoen in one of my podcast episodes this week. Have a listen and let me know what you think.

Schoen is essentially a lame-duck GM -- he has not been extended (yet), and there is uncertainty as to whether he will be. But he is leading the coaching search. What viable (i.e., not desperate) HC candidate would want to come here under a lame duck GM?

How can you possibly attract the best candidates when they know that if Schoen gets canned that they are probably not being retained by the next GM? Has Mara (yet again) painted himself into a corner? (Frank W.)

New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen
New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Frank, I guess that Schoen will eventually get a short extension so that he doesn’t go into next year as a lame duck. Ownership appears to have made up its mind that it's the coaching that is the bigger problem, though I think you have to look at both sides equally since they came in together.

Could we have a Trent Baalke situation where a top-flight coach refuses to come in unless Schoen is fired? I suppose that could happen. But for the time being, I don’t get the sense that Schoen is being canned.

I've been watching the Giants my entire life, and have seen the defense go from the 4-3 to the 3-4, with variations. But I can't seem to figure out what they have been running under Bowen.

It looks like they use only two defensive linemen in the middle, two edge/outside linebackers, and two middle linebackers. So are they running a 2-4 up front? (Ray P.)

New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen
New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Ray, the Giants' defense considers itself “multiple,” and the stats back that up. Per SIS, the Giants’s most frequent defensive formations through the first 10 games are as follows:

  • 3-3-5 – 28% (36% run, 64% pass)
  • 4-3-4 – 19% (59% run,  41% pass)
  • 4-2-5 – 11% (33% run, 67% pass)
  • 2-4-5 – 10% (32% run, 68% pass)

Now, in terms of success rates, I didn’t pull all the data, but I can tell you that the 4-3-4 ranks 12th overall in success rate and 10th against the run, while the 2-4-5 ranks 10th overall, 9th against the pass, and 11th against the run.

I think former Giants cornerback Mark Collins hit the nail on the head in our latest Giants Squad Show: he said to simplify things, call maybe three coverages and formations and let the players run with that. Stop trying to jam as many coverages/formations in there as possible, because that’s only slowing down the defense.

What did you think about the ESPN report about Daboll nearly taking away the play calling from Mike Kafka? (Henry W.)

Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and interim offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.
Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and interim offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. | Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Henry, for what it's worth, I was told by a source with knowledge of the situation that not only did such a "threat" take place, but that at no point did Daboll and Kafka ever discuss a change in play-calling. I mean, we as reporters can only go by what we're told, right?

As I see it, John Mara at the end of last year pretty much laid it out regarding Daboll by strongly implying that he hoped Daboll would reconsider his role as play caller, which he did, and rethink what he was allowing to happen with the defense, which he did not.

I also do not believe there was one specific reason for Daboll's firing, but rather a collection of things that added up, some of which I've mentioned before (the country club atmosphere, failure to consistently develop top draft talent, an overreliance on "his" guys). The bottom line is that the results weren't there, and so here we are, with Kafka set to audition for the role.

Do you see a scenario in which Mike Kafka has the "interim" label removed from his title? (Andrew P.)

I do. Look, Kafka has been requested in each of the last, what, three head-coaching cycles? I realize he didn't get the job in any of them, but the fact that he keeps getting calls tells me that he might jsut have the chops to handle the job full time.

What he needs to do is produce results, whether through the changes he's now free to make or through how he handles adversity in these last few weeks.

Mike's a smart young coach, and I hope he does well. But to your question, yes, I could see a scenario where he gets the job.

Another benefit to him getting it would be to establish continuity for Jaxson Dart, if the organization views that as important.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.

More New York Giants Coverage

Published
Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

Share on XFollow Patricia_Traina
Home/Big Blue+