Big Blue Review: Week 13 vs. Patriots; L; NYG: 15, NE: 33; Week 14 – BYE WEEK
The Giants had their bye last week, but their clubhouse still captured national attention. For three weeks, the Giants have been featured on the latest edition of “Hard Knocks,” which takes an in-season look at the NFC East.
After the 2-11 Giants suffered a 33-15 Monday Night Football loss to the 11-2 Patriots two weeks ago, interim head coach Mike Kafka addressed his team in the film room. The head coach candidate showed very little confidence as he attempted to motivate his players. As he dropped each of his (at least) nine f-bombs, HBO cameras captured the facial expressions of several Giants players, including Jaxson Dart and Dexter Lawrence, who were noticeably unconvinced by Kafka’s attitude.
“In all three phases, we lost to the f****ng team,” Kafka said. “But, we’re gonna f****ng win as a team, too. And that’s gonna be coming after the bye.”
Jaxson Dart ground his teeth.
“The reality is, we have four f****ng opportunities left with just this group right here. Everybody look at each other.”
Nobody moved their heads.
“We’ve got four ops together, man. Four f****ng opportunities. Like, I promise you, I’m gonna give you everything I’ve got to go 4-0 one week at a time. We’re going out swinging. Aggressive. I f****ng love this team. The results haven’t been where we’re at and what we want. I f****ng love this team. I promise you we’re gonna get to where we want to go.”
Dexter Lawrence grimaced.
“Recharge this bye week. We’re gonna come back and go f****ng dominate.”
And then, suddenly, Kafka’s tone elevated. “If you have a problem with that f****ng line, get the f**k out!”
At least nobody left the room.
It’s been a tough season for the Giants. Actually, “tough” doesn’t begin to describe how terrible this Giants season has been. Combining their 2-11 record, their rookie quarterback who can’t take care of his body, their collapsing defense, and coaches getting fired left and right, it’s been a disastrous year in East Rutherford.
It didn’t get any better against New England.
The biggest story from the Giants’ game two Mondays ago wasn’t the Patriots winning their 10th straight game and continuing their climb back to the top of the NFL ladder. It was Jaxson Dart and his inability to take care of himself. After missing a few games with a concussion, Dart returned to the field for the Giants.
In the first quarter, with 4:12 remaining, Dart ran down the right sideline and tried to gain as much yardage as possible. However, upon reaching the sticks, Christian Elliss burst from the left end and sent Dart spinning to the Giants’ sideline. Theo Johnson, one of Dart’s closest friends on the team, wasn’t happy with the hit, so he shoved Elliss. This led to a brawl on the sideline and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Giants.
Elliss’s hit was clean, but Dart didn’t need to put himself in harm’s way. He could have stepped out of bounds earlier, or he could have slid instead of trying to force the extra yard. In the NFL, defenders are going to tackle with force and purpose. Dart, in his rookie season, must recognize this and adjust. Here is what he said instead:
“This is football. I’m gonna get hit if I’m in the pocket or outside the pocket. I played this way my whole entire life. It shouldn’t be any shocker to anybody if you’ve followed along with my career. We’re not playing soccer out here.”
Another story that came out of this game was that, for the second time in three games, rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter was benched for the Giants’ opening defensive sequence. However, Mike Kafka extended the penalty through the entire first quarter, during which New England scored 17 points. Kafka wouldn’t reveal why he chose to bench Carter again, stating several times in his post-game press conference, “It was my decision.”
Carter is an impactful player on this Giants team. He recorded the first full sack of his career later in this game, and his 38 quarterback pressures ranked 26th out of 112 pass rushers after Week 13.
Carter’s previous benching came as discipline for missing a walkthrough while receiving treatment in the recovery room. He was initially reported to have slept through a practice session, but further details revealed he simply got his schedule mixed up. However, following Carter’s second benching, reports came out that he had been missing practices all season, but Brian Daboll never held him accountable. At least, not as blatantly as Kafka has.
“Just grow up, really,” said defensive line captain Dexter Lawrence. “I think he loves football, and he has to take it seriously. His approach to the game is really good. Just young stuff that can’t happen.”
It still isn’t clear what Carter did to miss the entire first quarter in New England. The only thing that has been confirmed is that he violated a team responsibility.
“You have to be a pro and know where you have to be and when you have to be there,” Lawrence added. “It has changed, but it’s not changing every day. He’s just got to adjust.”
Notably, the Giants still have faith in Carter. Kafka has repeatedly called him one of his “favorite players on the team.” However, so far, Kafka has failed to teach Carter the value of following rules. Benching him hasn’t worked. I’d assume that throwing f-bombs at his team inside the film room didn’t work, either.
The Giants made another embarrassing blunder on the field in New England when their fourth kicker of the season (if you count Jamie Gillan), Younghoe Koo, dragged his foot through the astroturf on a 47-yard field goal attempt. His foot never made contact with the football.
The Giants were trailing 17-7 in the second quarter with a key opportunity to cultivate a one-score game. After Koo’s misstep, punter Jamie Gillan had to recover the football, and he got sacked for a loss of 13 yards. Earlier in the game, he had a punt returned for 94 yards.
“I was approaching the ball and, in the cold weather, the ball kind of slipped out at the bottom, so it was moving,” Koo recalled. “I wasn’t able to kick through the ball. The ball was moving when I was driving to it, so I just pulled up on it.”
You can add Koo’s shank to the extensive list of Giants kicking woes this season, which includes Graham Gano getting hurt during pregame warmups in Week 3 and Jude McAtamney missing two extra point attempts in Week 7.
Also, the Giants fired another coach during their bye week. Last Thursday, the Giants dismissed Bryan Cox, the assistant defensive line coach. Supposedly, Cox had lost focus after Daboll’s firing, including an incident on the return flight from New England in which he got into an argument about seating assignments. Cox is the third Giants coach to be fired this season, in addition to head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
Next, general manager Joe Schoen met the media during the bye week. With seven straight losses, the Giants are 2-11, but Schoen still believes in his crew, and Giants ownership still believes in him.
“I’m better today than four years ago when I got this job,” Schoen insisted. “Five wins in the last two years, it’s not good enough. I’m not going to make excuses. I’m also a realist. I understand, it’s what-have-you-done-for-me-lately. I’ve been in the league for 26 years, and it’s not good enough, and we’re going to look at the entire football operation, everything, free agency decisions, draft decisions, coaching, execution, what can we do better, because there are pieces here.”
The Giants currently hold the third overall pick in the NFL draft, but their high strength of schedule would give them a higher selection if they finish the season with the same record as Las Vegas and Tennessee, the current holders of the first and second picks. But since they don’t need to draft a quarterback, and Jaxson Dart deserves to win games, the Giants shouldn’t tank away their next four games.
However, having a high first-round draft pick next season would add to the list of incentives – which includes an entertaining quarterback in Dart, a top young receiver in Malik Nabers, a budding star running back in Cam Skattebo, and a chance to work in the greatest market in sports – which the Giants will present to their head coaching candidates this offseason.
Somehow, Mike Kafka thinks the Giants can win each of their final four games. Specifically, he said, “We’ve got four ops together, man. Four f****ng opportunities. Like, I promise you I’m gonna give you everything I’ve got to go 4-0 one week at a time.”
Comical.
Sunday Funday Injury Report (Friday, 12/12):
OLB Victor Dimukeje (knee) did not practice today and has been ruled OUT to play on Sunday.
CB Nic Jones (shoulder) did not practice today and has been ruled OUT to play on Sunday.
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (ankle) did not practice today and has been ruled OUT to play on Sunday.
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) did not practice today and has been ruled OUT to play on Sunday.
WR Beaux Collins (neck/concussion) did not practice today and has been ruled OUT to play on Sunday.
P Jamie Gillan (knee) did not practice today and has been ruled DOUBTFUL to play on Sunday.
DL DJ Davidon (illness) did not practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (illness/neck/knee) did not practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
G Greg Van Roten (shoulder) practiced in a limited capacity today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
DL Dexter Lawrence II (hamstring) practiced in a limited capacity today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
WR Gunner Olszewski was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
TE Theo Johnson (toe) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
CB Korie Black (biceps) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
OL Joshua Ezeudu (calf) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
CB Art Green (hamstring) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
LB Darius Muasau (ankle) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hip) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
S Tyler Nubin (quad) was a full participant in practice today and is QUESTIONABLE to play on Sunday.
The 2-11 Giants’ next game will be on Sunday at 1 PM (12 PM CST) as they host the 3-10 Washington Commanders (FOX, FOXONE).
Schedule
Saturday 12/13:
5:30 PM (4:30 PM CST): 2025 NBA Cup Quarterfinals (Las Vegas) – NYK (3) vs. Orlando Magic (1); Prime Video
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CST): NYR vs. MTL; MSG, Gotham Sports
Sunday 12/14:
1:00 PM (12:00 PM CST): NFL on FOX, Week 15 – New York Giants (2-11) vs. Washington Commanders (3-10); FOX, FOXONE
1:00 PM (12:00 PM CST): NFL on CBS, Week 15 – New York Jets (3-10) at Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4); CBS, Paramount+
8:20 PM (7:20 PM CST): Sunday Night Football (SNF), Week 15 – Minnesota Vikings (5-8) at Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1); NBC, Peacock
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CST): Football Night in America (FNIA); NBC
8:00 PM (7:00 PM CST): Hyundai Sunday Night Kickoff; NBC, Peacock
8:10 PM (7:10 PM CST): GEICO Sunday Night Anthem; NBC, Peacock
