When Daboll first came here, it seemed clear his first choice for OC was Ken Dorsey. Dorsey decided instead to take the same position with the Bills. This made all the sense in the world. Stick with Allen and those weapons and Super Bowl aspirations.
Daboll instead turned to a guy he knew a lot less closely from the Chiefs as a first time play caller. Mike Kafka came in as a clear second choice to help build the offense around embattled Daniel Jones and oft injured but all world talent Saquon.
Fast forward to today and Dorsey interviewed in Carolina but Bills fans seem to love the idea of letting him go although they hate Frazier even more. Over the year, the Bills put up incredibly similar numbers offensively, aside from ranking 31st in Turnovers (13th in Daboll's final season) - seemingly mostly due to increased fumbles lost. Notably however, they looked pretty terrible in the post season offensively, needing special teams miracles to make it to face the Bengals, where they looked a little lost how to attack the Bengals in the weather conditions.
Kafka, on the other hand, is lauded for building an offense that got better as the year went along and showed many instances of creativity in design and play calling - the kind especially that Andy Reid is known for. The offense got better as the year went along and peaked at the end of the season. That is, until the Giants got absolutely dominated by a better Eagles team. Mike Kafka has gotten 3 head coaching interviews after just his first season as a play caller.
So after a year in their new roles, do we have different trajectories here? Kafka seems destined to get a head coach gig in the next couple years, if not in the next weeks. Meanwhile, the Bills have some questions to answer about their coaching. At a minimum, Dorsey needs to win back the confidence of the fanbase.
Am I making too much of Bills Mafia being salty after a painful loss? Or did the Giants maybe get a better choice with their second choice?
This was definitely not a good look.
bingo
Essex, this is what I was thinking as well while watching a bit of the Bills game. Seeing Dorseys video above(I'm assuming thats him) makes me think that perhaps that kind of personality or reaction(I'm sure alot of coaches feel that way and he just happened to get caught) might not have worked best for DJ. What I liked about Kafka/Daboll this year is they seemed to scheme to what talent they had, what opponent they were playing and were able to make in game adjustments, all better than what we've seen in the past. I think it will take a year or two for me to be ready to ship Kafka out depending on the progress or lack thereof we see next year.
agree. also agree that it would be a mistake for both Kafka and a potential team to jump to HC after this year. Too soon, would be going to a likely bad situation, set up for failure. He should stay as OC and get more experience.
DJ will benefit - and I believe thrive - from the same structure. But the Giants have just set this coaching staff...there may not be a lot of allegiance within this staff yet. I hope I'm wrong. And allegiances aside, if you're a young coordinator offered a raise and a career jump by another team, you gotta jump if it works with your personal goals and family interests.
You may have been more "surprised" by what you saw first half of year, But I believe they expanded the offense greatly over the season. The new personnel they added ( like Hodgkins and James) and the expanded use of guys they had (Breida....Wandale when healthy... Bellinger), continued addition of Both Pre Snap and In Play Motion was substantial at the end of season versus The Beginning of the Season. This was a season of Growth and expansion of the offense.
You may have been more "surprised" by what you saw first half of year, But I believe they expanded the offense greatly over the season. The new personnel they added ( like Hodgkins and James) and the expanded use of guys they had (Breida....Wandale when healthy... Bellinger), continued addition of Both Pre Snap and In Play Motion was substantial at the end of season versus The Beginning of the Season. This was a season of Growth and expansion of the offense.
Eli had Gilbride from late in '06 - '13. People forget, his first coordinator was John Hufnagel, who was in way over his head (remember Tiki's overly candid comments after the playoff loss to Carolina). Eli and the offense might well have looked better sooner if Gilbride had been the coordinator from the start.
If Kafka goes we pick up Dorsey as OC or whoever...its Daboll.
Quote:
Eli had Gilbride (good and bad) for much of his career ('04-'13) and had great success during that relationship. Without that continuity, his development could have been quite different.
Eli had Gilbride from late in '06 - '13. People forget, his first coordinator was John Hufnagel, who was in way over his head (remember Tiki's overly candid comments after the playoff loss to Carolina). Eli and the offense might well have looked better sooner if Gilbride had been the coordinator from the start.
Correct you are! Totally forgot Hufnagel. I didn’t mean to off-track the thread. My biggest point was continuity…I hope Kafka stays. I hope Wink stays. Both the O & D might best continue their trajectory with these coaches staying put.