It has been a roller-coaster ride for Tom Coughlin during his 12 years as head coach of the Giants. Sunday night certainly was another low point after inexplicable clock management cost Big Blue a 10-point fourth quarter lead against the division rival Dallas Cowboys, falling 27-26.
While the season-opening defeat has left Giants fans distraught, its timing leaves it out of the top five worst regular season losses of the Tom Coughlin era. Here is a look at the toughest defeats the Giants have suffered:
1. Eagles 38, Giants 31 — 12/09/10
Known to some as the “Miracle at the New Meadowlands,” a DeSean Jackson punt return touchdown with no time remaining capped a 21-point fourth quarter comeback for the Eagles. Giants rookie punter Matt Dodge was unable to kick the ball out of bounds due to a high snap, and after initially fumbling the football, Jackson made the Giants pay. The win essentially gave the Eagles the NFC East title and kept the Giants out of the postseason.
2. Panthers 41, Giants 9 — 12/27/09
In a must-win situation, the Giants were destroyed in their final game at Giants Stadium. The Panthers, led by backup quarterback Matt Moore, scored on their first four possessions and eliminated the Giants from playoff contention.
3. Falcons 34, Giants 0 — 12/16/12
After a promising victory at home against the New Orleans Saints where the defending Super Bowl champ Giants put up 52 points, the following week Big Blue was shutout in Atlanta, sending their season into a tailspin.
4. Jaguars 25, Giants 24 11/30/14
While this loss may have not had postseason implications, it was another dreadful collapse and an embarrassing defeat that had owner John Mara wanting to “fire everyone” after the game. The Giants blew a 21-3 second half lead as they gifted the Jaguars with two defensive touchdowns, a first in Jaguars history.
5. Titans 24, Giants 21 11/26/06
The Giants may have rebounded to make the playoffs after this loss, but this defeat is memorable because of a missed tackle by rookie Mathias Kiwanuka that allowed the Titans to tie the game after trailing, 21-0, in the fourth quarter. Kiwanuka let Vince Young slip through his grasp and run for a first down on a fourth-and-10 play after he thought the Titans quarterback already had thrown the football. Tennessee scored 10 points in the final 44 seconds to win the game.
