Mike Kafka Explains Why Giants DL Dexter Lawrence II Wasn’t on Field for Lions’ Game-winning Run

New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II was a notable no-show on Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs’ 69-yard game-winning touchdown run, causing spectators to wonder why.

Lawrence, it turns out, was battling through an injury he suffered during the game, according to interim head coach Mike Kafka.

“So, Dex is battling for us. He got a little nicked for us,” Kafka said after the game. “He gave us everything he had for as many plays as we could get him in there.

“But there was a management part of that to make sure we could maximize him in certain situations – third downs, things like that, where his pass rush could be in effect. So, he wasn’t out there for that first down.”

With Lawrence out of the game on that play, Gibbs dashed right up the middle, with several attempted Giants tackles falling way short of the mark as the running back capped off his 219-yard rushing day and secured the 34-27 win for his team.

“I’ll have to look at the tape. I’m talking with the offense,” Kafka said when asked what happened on Gibbs’s run. “Obviously, I saw the run, didn’t know exactly what happened as a result of that run.

“Probably looking at, ‘Were the fits right on it?’ But he’s a good player. We knew he was going to get in some space, and they were going to give him some opportunities. We had to figure out a way to rally him up, and that one he got us.”

Kafka added that had the game continued, Lawrence would have received snaps, but added, “I think it kind of flared up again during the fourth quarter.”

Former Giants linebacker Carl Banks, now the team’s analyst on its radio broadcasts, who a few weeks ago challenged Lawrence to play better by opining that the opponents no longer respected him, was livid with the decision.

Carl Banks WENT OFF on the decision to not have Dexter Lawrence on the field during the Lions TD in overtime 😳 pic.twitter.com/eD85xJQsar
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) November 23, 2025

“Rotation?” he said. “ You got guys not as good as your best guys. You don't rotate when you need to. Close the game. The missed tackles are par for the course. The fact that you don't have your best players on the field when you need to close out a game says everything to me.

“I don't care about the missed tackles–it happens every week. It's whatever, right? But I cannot watch the best player on your football team watch the game because you decided a rotation was better.”

Banks noted that there was plenty of time for Lawrence to gather himself and be out there for the first play of overtime.

“You come into overtime after basically ten minutes of real time because you're running commercials and all this other stuff, and your defense on the field, and he's not there for the first series of overtime, and what happens? A big run right up the middle. I don't get it, folks. I don't.”

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will likely get the start int he team's next game if he clears the protocol. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In other injury news, Kafka said that linebacker Demtrius Flannigan-Fowles suffered a neck issue and that they would see where things stood with him during the upcoming week.

Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart remains in the protocol for the time being.

“Yeah, we’ll just see where (Giants QB) Jaxson (Dart) is in the protocol and then we’ll just make a decision based on that info,” he said when asked how they planned to move forward at quarterback next week against the Patriots, whom the Giants see a week from Monday in their final game before the bye.

Does that mean Dart will get the start once he’s cleared?

“Yeah. Barring a decision, we’ll just–yeah, we’ll kind of play that out. But I like Jaxson if he’s healthy and ready to go,” Kafka said.

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