Giants Let Another Late Lead Slip Away in Mike Kafka’s First Game as Interim Head Coach Without Jaxson Dart

The Giants’ new coach was supposed to fix a bad season, but Sunday’s game was the same. In Mike Kafka’s first game as interim coach, the Giants lost a late lead to the Packers at MetLife Stadium. The final score was 27-20. Hope, hard work, and franchise issues for two seasons.

Kafka took over after Daboll was fired this week. His opponents were tougher. He led a struggling team without rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who was concussed in Chicago. Jameis Winston struggled against good defenses for Giants. Despite those issues, the Giants started with a controlled drive and touchdown. A life-demonstrating team was encouraged.

Game showed Dart was absent. After Winston moved the ball well, the Giants scored with 7 minutes left. The 85-yard drive from New York gave them a chance. This could have won, but defense failed. The home crowd was saddened when the Packers quickly regained the lead after the Giants did.

In two years, Giants fans have seen this fourth-quarter collapse many times. Shane Bowen was hired last season to bring stability, but the team lost discipline in crucial situations again. After that mistake, Winston gave the Giants another chance with less than a minute left. Interception of his end-zone pass ended the comeback and caused another painful loss.

Losing hurts, but players improved. Winston relied on newly re-signed receiver Isaiah Hodgins, who led the team in receiving yards. Kafka ran offenses without key players. Though disappointing, these moments showed Dart’s return can help the offense.

No one knows when the franchise will return. A 2-9 season has shifted from playoff hopes to rookie quarterback development and coaching staff evaluation. Kafka’s audition will need more than hard work and competition to fix the team’s problems. Over the past two years, the Giants have lost too many games. The last loss showed how far they must go to compete.

Next week, Jaxson Dart’s concussion protocol will determine his availability. When he returns, the Giants must change their strategy because designed runs stress the rookie. His health, Kafka’s future, and a losing team seeking stability are discussed.

Sources: team statements, game observations, and publicly available NFL post-game coverage.