Tom Coughlin, Giants players defend decision to forego late field goal against Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It's a familiar feeling for these New York Giants, giving up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter on the way to a defeat. It's happened three times in 2015.

But this one might sting a little more. A coaching decision proved costly in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the New York Jets.

The Giants held a 20-10 advantage with less than nine minutes to go. A 17-play, 67-yard drive appeared promising but ended with an Eli Manning interception on fourth-and-2 from the Jets 4-yard line. Hindsight is always 20-20, but a field goal — and a 13-point margin — likely would have made it impossible for the Jets to climb back into the game.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin defended the decision in his postgame press conference.

"I went for it on fourth-and-2 thinking that that would certainly give, after the long drive and the amount of time used up in the drive, I thought that that was the play at the time," Coughlin said. "I still do."

When asked a follow-up question about the difference between a 10-point and a 13-point lead perhaps being too much to overcome, however, Coughlin didn't waver, citing his desire to make it a three-score contest.

"Make them score two touchdowns to beat you. But by that same token, if we scored there ... then we push the score up to where maybe they can't beat us with whatever," he said. "So we're up 17. I stand by it."

A poll of Giants players in the locker room supported Coughlin and his decision.

"No, I don't think it was the wrong call," receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. "We just need to execute, come out and score.

"I don't really think it was a bad call."

Added guard Justin Pugh: "We've got to finish it with six, and I had all the confidence that we were about to score on that play. I go out there and play, I don't make the decisions."

Jets safety Rontez Miles picked off the Manning pass, which launched a 12-play, 80-yard drive in which the Jets kicked a field goal to close the gap to 20-13. A three-and-out then forced the Giants to punt, and the Jets tied the game with a 10-play, 71-yard drive capped with a 9-yard touchdown to Brandon Marshall that sent the game into overtime.

"It was a chance to win the game right there," Manning said of the fourth-and-2 call. "They had good coverage, and they played it well. We had decent pressure and not really any time to scramble around or get to my last option to the running back. You're just in a bad situation at that point, whether you try and take a sack or throw it away. Do you give a guy a shot and maybe it pops up our way?"

When asked to elaborate, Manning again defended Coughlin: "I like the call. I think it's the right call. I think we need to execute. We've got to put it in right there and we didn't do it."

It wasn't only offensive players who backed the call. Defenders felt it was an instance of Coughlin showing belief that the Giant defense could stop the Jet offense.

"No, I wasn't surprised," defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said. "He was showing faith in us, and that's what you want. As a player, you should want to have that opportunity to put the game away. You should want the coach to have faith in you to be able to go out there and get the job done. And coach showed faith in us, and he gave us an opportunity, and that's got to be something we cash in on."

It's not fair to pin the loss entirely on Coughlin's gamble as the Giants had chances to stay on the field and burn the clock. But this is a pattern that has burned them (5-7) this season. New York also surrendered 10-point leads against the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons in their first two games.

Another blown lead may sink them completely out of the NFC East race.

"Well, obviously, I have made a decision to be very aggressive at the end of the games," Coughlin said. "I've done it all year long. I don't have a lot to show for it."

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Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes

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