Giants fire DC Bowen after another late collapse

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants, after blowing yet another double-digit lead, have fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, interim coach Mike Kafka announced Monday.

The move comes two weeks after the dismissal of head coach Brian Daboll. It was the fifth time this season that Bowen's defense allowed at least a 10-point lead to slip away, tying an NFL record.

Bowen will be replaced on an interim basis by outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen.

Bowen, 38, was hired by Daboll prior to the start of the 2024 season, replacing Wink Martindale. His defense ranked 30th overall this season, allowing 385 yards per game and 27.8 points. They were also bottom half of the league in both categories last year.

The move came after New York (2-10) blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to the Detroit Lions on Sunday in a 34-27 loss that was capped by a 69-yard touchdown run by the Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs on the first play of overtime.

Kafka was asked after the game, for the second straight week, if he still believed in Bowen.

"Yeah, I do," Kafka said. "I have a lot of confidence in Shane and his entire staff."

Sunday's loss was the Giants' 12th straight road loss dating to last season, extending a franchise record. All five of this season's blown double-digit leads have been on the road.

The Giants are 2-5 in games in which they've held a double-digit lead.

They have lost an NFL-high five games after leading in the fourth quarter. Last month at Denver, they became the first team since at least 1970 to lead by 18-plus points with six minutes remaining and lose in regulation.

Bowen came to the Giants after three seasons as the defensive coordinator in Tennessee under Mike Vrabel. With the Titans, Bowen's defenses were known to be stout against the run. They have been anything but with the Giants.

The Giants are allowing a league-worst 5.93 yards per carry.

The defense was expected to be the strength of the team entering the season, especially with so much invested in the team's defensive line. But instead of a strength, it was a weakness with Bowen calling the shots.

Daboll still stuck with Bowen after they blew leads in the final seconds in Dallas and Denver earlier this season. When Kafka took over, he left open the possibility for more staff changes. He decided to make one after Bowen and the defense allowed another lead to slip away against the Packers and Lions in consecutive weeks.

Bowen seemed to know the pressure was on.

"There's responsibility that falls on me," Bowen said after Daboll was fired last week. "We haven't been good enough defensively, particularly closing out games. Something we're working at, evaluating everything, scheme, personnel, different situations, what we can do to continue to improve and find ways to be at our best when it matters most. Find ways to put these players in positions to make plays at critical parts of the game when it matters most. So, it's something we're continuing to dive into, continuing to work at. We have to find ways to win these games and not give it up in the fourth quarter."

He couldn't find the solutions working with Kafka either, forcing the interim coach to make the change. But it's not going to get easier for Bullen, as the Giants next visit the New England Patriots next Monday night.