After the New York Giants’ most recent defensive collapse, interim head coach Mike Kafka finally made a decision on his coaching staff.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was fired Monday morning following New York’s 34-27 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions after a brutal defensive showing.
Jared Goff threw for 279 yards while Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 219 and two touchdowns en route to the comeback victory.
It was the fifth time this season the Giants blew a 10-point lead, and the third time it had happened in the fourth quarter.
Some thought the Bowen firing should’ve happened sooner rather than later, but according to Kafka, there was a reason he didn’t part ways with the embattled coordinator after he took the interim job.
Mike Kafka Explains Why He Fired Shane Bowen
At his Monday morning press conference, Kafka explained his reasoning for the timing of the firing and why he felt a change was necessary within the New York Giants.
“The decisions aren’t easy, and Shane’s a good person, he’s a good man, he’s a good coach, just the results weren’t where we wanted them to be, and Charlie (Bullen) is gonna step up for us and rally the group,” Kafka told the press.
Kafka was then asked why he fired Bowen now, and not after last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, where the defense once again gave up a go-ahead score.
“I had an opportunity to watch the tape, look back at a few weeks, watch a lot of the defense, watch a lot of what was going on with the communication, and just felt like this was the right time to do it,” Kafka explained.
“When I got the job, I didn’t want to make a lot of rash decisions and jump to anything really quick. I wanted to have some time to sit back, evaluate, look at it, and kind of figure out what the best thing to do was. Wanted to be calculated in how I handled it, and I thought today was the right time.”
Clearly, Kafka didn’t want to make any rash decisions in his first chance as an NFL head coach.
But after the last two weeks, it was hard not to see the writing on the wall.
Who is New Defensive Coordinator Charlie Bullen?
In the wake of Bowen’s firing, the New York Giants are promoting outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen to interim defensive coordinator.
Kafka said he has the utmost confidence in Bullen to turn New York’s defense around.
“The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan. I got a lot of confidence in the room and a lot of confidence in our staff to do that.”
Bullen has 18 years of coaching experience under his belt, spending 12 in the NFL.
He was in his second season as outside linebackers coach in New York, and will be calling defensive plays for his first time in the pros.
“We’re going to give Charlie the reins to go and make the corrections that he sees fit for the defense, whether it’s personnel, whether it’s scheme, whether it’s communication, calls,” Kafka said via the team’s website.
“And so he’s going to have to work hand in hand with the whole defensive unit to make sure that it’s his vision on how he sees it. And obviously, I’ll have my fingerprint on there as well and be there and try to be an asset for the group as well.”
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