The New York Giants were already eliminated from the playoffs going into Sunday's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, and after taking a crushing defeat 49-17 many think head coach Tom Coughlin's era in New York has come to an end, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. While Coughlin may be on his way out the door, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels reportedly would be interested in the head coaching position and could fit nicely in the Giants organization, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
The Giants have plenty to work on this offseason, and whether it's the offense or defense, both could be due for some major changes. The Giants defense ranks last in the NFL in terms of yards per game and is allowing opponents more than 419 yards per game this season. While some will point the finger at defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for the defense's poor performance this year, others look to general manager Jerry Reese who has failed to provide the team with valuable defenders through the draft and offseason acquisitions. The Giants' defense is clearly in need of some help at every phase and is clearly missing a leader on the field like Michael Strahan or Justin Tuck in the past.
On offense the Giants have produced this season, ranking 13th in the league in yards per game, but after Sunday night's performance many are realizing their offense is heavily revolved around quarterback Eli Manning and star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. New York's offense clearly needs some more playmakers, and while running backs Shane Vereen and Rashad Jennings have produced this season, the Giants have yet to find a long-term solution at running back. Dropped passes and tipped interceptions have occurred for the Giants all year, and with receivers like Rueben Randle, Hakeem Nicks and Dwayne Harris being the leading options with Beckham out, changes are clearly needed.
McDaniels is one of the top offensive minds in the game and has shown that he has grown since his head coaching stint with the Denver Broncos. McDaniels is a top coaching candidate across the league, and finding someone from the Bill Belichick coaching tree is heavily sought by NFL organizations given their consistent success. There is no guarantee that Coughlin will be fired or retire after this season, but McDaniels could be one of the top candidates if the organization decides to make a change.
