Just one game into the New York Giants‘ 2025 season, and there already seems to be a lack of trust mounting. After failing to score a touchdown in the season opener for the third straight year and putting up just six points in Week 1, the state of the offense is questionable, at best.
Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has regained play-calling duties after head coach Brian Daboll stripped him of that role in 2024. But that doesn’t seem to have ignited anything, just yet.
On the contrary, at least one Giants player griped about Kafka’s Week 1 play-calling. Specifically, the decision-making in the red zone.
The Giants failed to score a touchdown on 13 plays in the red zone, 12 of which were called passes.
“I have to do what’s called, but I definitely said we needed to run the ball on the 1-yard line. I feel like everyone felt the same — whether it’s offensive line, quarterback, running back. To do the play-action pass off the 1-yard line, you have to run the ball first,” running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. said, via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.
Tracy was referring to the bootleg at the 1-yard line that has been heavily discussed this week. Judging by Tracy’s quote, it seems like there were multiple players who felt similar about the decision.
The Giants ranked dead last in red zone efficiency in 2024, and through one game, that has not improved with Russell Wilson now under center and Kafka back at the team’s play-caller.
Despite the griping, head coach Brian Daboll made it clear that he has confidence in Kafka.
Many are already questioning how long of a leash Wilson has as the starting quarterback, and it wouldn’t be crazy to think Daboll may take over play-calling once again if the offense continues to struggle.