After multiple failed attempts to hold a late lead, the New York Giants made a decision that fans have been calling for for weeks. New York fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen today, after multiple blown leads due to the defense struggling to make a stop. Bowen has been quite unpopular this season, and the results have shown that the ex-DC needed to go.
Giants' interim head coach Mike Kafka shed some light on the decision to fire Bowen. The head coach said that the decision was not made just after the Lions game, but he took into consideration the previous games of the Giants.
“#Giants interim HC Mike Kafka said he had an opportunity to watch the #Lions tape and review the last few weeks on defense, including communication,” Mike Garofolo reported. “Didn’t want to make a ‘rash decision' yesterday. ‘I felt like today was the right time.'”
The Giants came into the fourth quarter with a 20-17 lead against the Lions. They extended their lead to 27-17 after an early touchdown catch by quarterback Jameis Winston. However, New York once again fell into the same habits they've had all throughout this season. The offense has always been able to generate a lead for themselves, but their defense has struggled to hold a lead all season. This loss to the Lions is now the fifth time New York failed to win despite having a fourth-quarter advantage.
In all of those games, it was the suspect defense that ruined the Giants' chances to win. Now, they'll get a chance to see if it was truly that defense that was costing them games.
