The Giants went 6-10 this season and one of the prime culprits for their lack of success was the team’s defense, but that doesn’t appear to have eliminated defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo from consideration as the team’s next head coach.
Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports reports that Spagnuolo will interview this week for the job Tom Coughlin stepped down from on Monday. Spagnuolo returned for a second stint in his current job before the 2015 season and the Giants finished 30th in points allowed and 32nd in yards allowed over the course of the year.
Those numbers don’t do much to recommend Spagnuolo for a promotion and his first head coaching run with the Rams didn’t work out particularly well, although he could point to a lack of talent on defense for some of the problems with this year’s unit. With defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sidelined for most of the first half after his July 4 fireworks accident and limited upon his return, high-end talent was in short supply for the Giants.
That’s been an issue for a few years on defense in New Jersey, although it doesn’t seem to have shaken the Giants’ faith in General Manager Jerry Reese’s work.
Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is expected to join Spagnuolo on the interview list and there figure to be outside candidates as well as the Giants look for a new coach for the first time since 2004.