by In a heartbreaking 37-40 Week 2 loss for the New York Giants, Shane Bowen, the Giants’ defensive coordinator, holds a lot of blame for this loss against the Dallas Cowboys. In the 19 games Bowen has been the defensive coordinator, the Giants’ defense has been nothing but disappointing, despite their evident talent.
What has happened in this Week 2 loss has put Bowen’s job in jeopardy?
Undisciplined Penalties
The Giants had 14 penalties for 160 yards this game. Although a fair number of these are on the offense, there were still numerous unnecessary penalties on the defense, especially offside penalties. Because of the offside calls, Dak Prescott was hyper-aggressive on these plays and ended with multiple first downs and a touchdown.
Penalties are a part of football that every team has to deal with, but to have to battle against these unforced errors is inexcusable. An issue like this is rooted in coaching and a lack of detail in practice, and something that Bowen should be held accountable for.
Horrendous Late-Game Schemes
The Giants took a 37-34 lead with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Even though the Cowboys had three timeouts, this is still a very short time to get a field goal off. Dallas got into field goal range with ease, in part because of their kicker, Brandon Aubrey‘s all-time great range, but the main reason is the Giants’ soft defense.
The Giants played nearly 20 yards deep, allowing Dallas to get easy yardage and practically walk into field goal range. With a tighter coverage, something Dak struggled with this game, the Giants would have had a much better chance to stop Dallas from scoring and sending the game to overtime.
Will He Last the Rest of the Season?
No matter how upset Giants fans are about the loss, it is unlikely Bowen will be fired before their third game — but this doesn’t mean he won’t be fired before Week 18. The Giants’ defense is loaded with talent, headlined by their star-studded defensive line.
If the Giants’ defense shows minimal improvement from last season and slow development from their young starters, there are very few reasons to keep him around; something the Giants are well aware of.
