Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka
Q: Where have you seen, I guess, the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the offense this year?
A: I think over the course of the season, and again, we'll probably revaluate holistically after the season, not really there yet. Our main focus is on Philly this week, but you know, we've been through a bunch of ups and downs. We've seen some good production in the run game and some good production in the pass game. Every group has stood out in weeks so there's a lot to build off of both schematically and personnel-wise.
Q: How challenging has this year been for you? Just quarterback changes, the offensive line, injuries, just trying to build around that.
A: Every season presents its own challenges. Just like – whether the record at the end of the season shows or not, but every week is going to be a little bit different, there's always a problem that presents itself, so you do your best to problem solve it. That's what you rely on your players and your coaching staff to do and continue to work through those issues. Every team is going through it, ours was no different so that's life in the NFL.
Q: Do you expect to be back here next season?
A: Really, my only focus is on today and this week and preparing our guys the best we can for Philadelphia.
Q: Have you guys talked about that at all? You and the head coach or anybody like that?
A: Our sole focus has just been on Philadelphia.
Q: What do you make of your future? Like obviously, last year you were in the running for head coaching jobs. Do you still view that as a possibility this year? Obviously, the year didn't go how you expected it here.
A: I've got a lot of confidence in myself as a coach, but my focus has only really been on Philadelphia, today and this week.
Q: What's it been like, in a season with three different starting quarterbacks, what's it been like as an offensive coordinator and adjusting to it?
A: That's a great question. I think when you go through the preseason, you go through the training camp and OTAs and stuff, you really try to dive deep into not only the position strengths and weaknesses, the player strengths and weaknesses, but then what schematically we do as a group when they're in there as well. There's been – and every group has injuries and got next man standing up but one thing that I'm proud of with our group is (that) they had the next man up mentality. Guys stepped up, young players, veteran guys had to step up ,and that's something that I'm really proud of our guys (for). They never flinched, they battled all the way through it, and I think our guys have come closer because of that.
Q: What have you learned about yourself as a coordinator or a coach with having a season with all those changes?
A: You've got to continue to remain flexible, continue to stay positive and be a problem solver. Things come up. Whether it's injury-wise or whether it's scheme and they're happening so fast. You've got to be able to communicate clearly, you've got to be able to have a plan and prep for potential scenarios like that, so you do a lot of studying, you do a lot of prep, in the offseason, during the week, late nights, early mornings and you try to take and cover all those bases.
Q: At the end of the Rams game, (Head Coach Brian) Daboll said that he'd wish he'd had that run call back when you guys got close to field goal range there. What was the thought process on the play calling when (quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor) slid down there?
A: There's a lot of plays in a game and some that you really like and some that you want back at any point in the game. You do a lot of prep and study work that goes into those critical situations and that one didn't work out for us. Probably one that I'd like to have back and give us another chance at a closer field goal.
