Could Winning Streak Save Tom Coughlin?

The fate of Tom Coughlin and his staff is one that is undefined. One could certainly argue that missing the playoffs for 3 straight years is enough to fire a coach in the NFL. The other side of the coin is that Coughlin has proven he can win given the talent. If the Giants were prepared to part ways with their Super Bowl winning coach, could a four game winning streak save Coughlin’s job?

The Giants have won back to back games after starting 3-9. They went on a miserable losing streak that spanned from October 12th to November 30th. The Giants however made significant strides near the end of the streak. The last three losses were by 6 points or less, including a 3 point loss to the division leading Dallas Cowboys. The Giants have beaten their last 2 opponents convincingly.

Nov 23, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin talks with quarterback Eli Manning (10) against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Odell Beckham Jr. has emerged as a superstar. In the past four weeks he has had over 100 receiving yards three times. The Giants defense has found its pass rush as it has had 22 sacks in 3 games.

Clearly there has been progress. Earlier in the season this was a team that lost badly and with embarrassment. The Giants started the season with a 35-14 beat down by the Detroit Lions. The GMEN have six losses by 10 points or more. The Giants are now competing late in games as that is a step forward even if it came against weak competition.

The problem is that this smells so similar to last season. In 2013 the Giants started 0-6 to finish 7-9. In 2012 the Giants lost 5 of their last 8 games and they missed the post season with a 9-7 record. The Giants sneaked into the playoffs in 2011 and magically ran to a championship.

In the regular season the Giants had a 4 game losing streak. The problem is that losing streaks have become a yearly trend under Coughlin.

Through this season I have stuck to the idea that despite Coughlin being a great coach, its time for change. It would be hard to justify bringing Coughlin back. The Giants would not be disrespecting the longtime great coach by firing him; rather they would be holding him to the same accountability any other coach.

The Giants may be making great progress and they might win out on a four game winning streak. Its just a little too late to save the day.

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