EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Tom Coughlin is on the hot seat again after a fateful fourth-quarter decision backfired, hurting the New York Giants’ playoff hopes and helping of all teams, the local rival Jets.

Ryan Fitzpatrick rallied the Jets from a late 10-point deficit after Coughlin’s decision to go on fourth down went awry. Randy Bullock kicked a 31-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime, giving the Jets a stunning 23-20 win Sunday that sent the reeling Giants to their third straight loss.

The Jets (7-5) didn’t seal the win until Josh Brown missed a 48-yard field goal with 6:33 left in the extra session, his first miss in 26 attempts this season. That left many questioning Coughlin and wondering whether the Giants (5-7) are headed for a fourth straight season out of the playoffs.

A visibly frustrated Coughlin didn’t back down about his decision to go on fourth-and-2 from the Jets 4 with his team ahead 20-10 with less than nine minutes to play. Rontez Miles intercepted Eli Manning’s pass and returned it to the Jets 14, starting the Giants on the road to a fifth loss in which they squandered a fourth-quarter lead.

“If we scored there and fourth-and-2, then we push the score up to where maybe they can’t beat us with whatever,” Coughlin said. “So we’re up 17. I stand by it.”

His players backed him.

“He was showing faith in us and that’s what you want,” defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said. “As a player, you should want to have that opportunity to put the game away.”

A Bullock field goal cut the deficit to seven points, and Fitzpatrick hit Brandon Marshall for a 9-yard touchdown with 27 seconds remaining to tie it, capping a 71-yard drive. Fitzpatrick finished 36 of 50 for 390 yards, while Marshall had 12 catches for 131 yards.

Marshall became the first player in NFL history with a 1,000-yard receiving seasons for four teams (Denver, Miami, Chicago and the Jets).

Copy the Story Link

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.