Eagles spoil Coughlin’s possible last game with Giants

“Just missed opportunities”, Manning said. They were driving for a touchdown or field goal that would have given them a two-score advantage.

Safety Walter Thurman’s 83-yard touchdown interception return with 3:34 left in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 28-27 lead. If the Saints or the Ravens go in another direction, you can count on the Eagles getting together with them. The Giants rolled up 502 yards, including a season-high 208 on the ground, and 30 first downs, but lost because of mistakes, an inability to capitalize on scoring chances, and a defense that struggled to slow down the opposition.

It was the third straight loss for the Giants (6-10) and they finished a third straight losing season and a fourth straight year out of the playoffs.

If Coughlin isn’t back on the sidelines, the coach has already given Jennings – and his teammates – incredibly useful advice to take into next season.

“(Have) all three phases play their best game, and that we not beat ourselves”, he said of the keys to the game, nothing that if they defeat the Eagles, they will have split the regular-season series with all three division opponents. Linebacker Connor Barwin hit Manning from behind as he threw, forcing a blooper that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Thurmond.

Coughlin refused to address his future immediately after the game, saying he wants to meet with ownership.

The Eagles (7-9) didn’t wait for the end of the season to start changing things. Coughlin was unwilling or unable to provide a response.

“He’s got a decision to make, and the Giants got a decision to make, and we’re all aware of it”, said son-in-law Chris Snee, who won two Super Bowls with him as his player. “I’m not going to answer anything about that. The season just ended, there will be time for that”. “We’ve got to overcome things like that”. “We play the Giants on Sunday and that’s all that I’m focused on, that’s all everyone in this locker room is focused on”.

Coughlin also enjoyed success as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars before going to the Giants.

The comedy of errors continued in the third quarter as Murray’s fumble led to Rueben Randle’s 45-yard touchdown pass on the first play.

Rashad Jennings rushed for a season-high 170 yards and scored a touchdown for the Giants. On that run, Murray ran for more yards than he had in eight entire games. The problem is, it is just finishing one.

In the end, quarterback Sam Bradford was able to rely on his two favorite receivers to lead the Eagles. Zach Ertz caught 9 passes for 152 yards to lead this week’s assault on the seam of the defensive backfield. Bradford, completing his first season with the Eagles after being acquired by trade last year, previously threw for more than 3,500 as a member of the St. Louis Rams in 2010 (3,512 yards) and 2012 (3,702 yards).

Pederson, 47, quarterbacked the Eagles in 1999, the year they took Donovan McNabb off the board with the second overall pick. Everything went downhill for the Giants from that point on in the game, as they didn’t get anything going after that. The Giants moved the ball down the field for a second straight possession only to be thwarted by…

The Giants have been unimpressive the past few years, but Coughlin still walks away as the organization’s most vital head coach since Bill Parcells. I’ve always seen him lead in that way, too. Even winning half of those games would have put them in a position to be a playoff team. “You know he knows best”.