Some seasons unravel slowly. Others snap all at once. For the Giants, everything seemed to come crashing down in the span of a few weeks, and firing head coach Brian Daboll before Week 11 was the moment the franchise officially hit reset. Now the team welcomes the Packers to MetLife with an interim coach, a battered roster, and a season that’s effectively over in the standings but suddenly meaningful for an entirely different reason.
This is now an audition. For Mike Kafka. For Joe Schoen’s personnel decisions. And for several young players who need to prove they belong in the team’s long-term plans.
A new lens on the Giants as Kafka takes over
Kafka’s interim stint isn’t just a placeholder. It’s an opportunity — for him to show he can elevate a broken offense, and for the front office to evaluate whether Daboll was holding the roster back or whether the issues run deeper. Injuries are a factor, but management will be watching closely to see whether better structure and cleaner execution can coax more out of the pieces they do have.
His first test isn’t gentle. The Packers bring one of the league’s best defenses and a fast-striking offense that can put pressure on opponents instantly. That combination is dangerous for a Giants team down multiple starters and relying on backup quarterback Jameis Winston, who may spend much of the afternoon improvising under duress.
The Giants need points, creativity, and someone who can emerge as a reliable outlet when the pocket collapses.
Theo Johnson might be the Giants’ unexpected X-factor
If you’re searching for a player who could shift this matchup, look beyond the usual names. The Giants may have a quiet advantage in second-year tight end Theo Johnson, who’s been up-and-down but undeniably explosive when the ball finds him in rhythm.
Johnson has hauled in 33 passes this season with a 67.3 percent reception rate, totaling 314 yards and five touchdowns. For a fourth-round pick still finding his footing, that’s meaningful production. The issue hasn’t been talent. It’s been consistency. He has four drops on the year, a few in moments that swung games. If he can stabilize his hands, his ceiling jumps instantly.
The Chicago game offered a glimpse of what that version of Johnson looks like. He caught seven of eight targets for 75 yards, moving fluidly through zones, attacking the ball in the air, and giving the Giants a legitimate mismatch at tight end. That’s the player the coaching staff hopes to unlock more often — and the one Kafka may need to lean on heavily just to keep drives alive.
Injuries force the Giants’ playmakers into the spotlight
With Darius Slayton already ruled out for the matchup, the Giants’ weapons thin out quickly. That leaves Johnson and veteran slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson as the clearest playmakers available. Robinson’s quickness makes him valuable on underneath routes, but Johnson is the one who can threaten linebackers and safeties and change the geometry of the field.
If Winston can buy enough time and Kafka schemes openings over the middle, Johnson becomes the player most capable of turning a modest passing game into something functional. This is where evaluation meets opportunity — not just for Johnson’s development, but for the staff’s creativity.
A challenging test that still offers clarity for the Giants’ future
The Packers aren’t the opponent you want when your season is collapsing, but they’re the exact opponent you want when you’re trying to learn about your roster. The Giants will need toughness, ingenuity, and someone to emerge as a go-to option in a depleted offense.
If Theo Johnson steps into that role, he won’t just help the Giants survive Sunday. He’ll give the front office something real to build on — and give Kafka a weapon worth featuring in his audition for the job.
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