Giants don't wait to make Shane Bowen move after loss to Lions

For the fifth time in 12 games, the New York Giants squandered a double-digit lead en route to suffering a 34-27 overtime loss at the Detroit Lions that dropped the Giants to 2-10 on the season. 

The Giants didn't wait until their Week 14 bye to make a move that seemingly had been coming for some time. 

Giants show Shane Bowen the door ahead of Thanksgiving

NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Monday that the Giants have fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. The Giants previously parted ways with head coach Brian Daboll one day after they blew a double-digit lead in a loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 10. 

Per NFL insider Josina Anderson, outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will now serve as New York's interim defensive coordinator.

Bowen first came under fire this season after his decision to play a soft zone resulted in Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey making a game-tying 64-yard field goal at the end of regulation of a Week 2 matchup that Dallas won in overtime. Later, the Giants surrendered 33 fourth-quarter points in a 33-32 Week 7 loss at the Denver Broncos. 

Per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, that was the first time since at least 1970 that a team held a lead of 18-plus points with six minutes remaining and then lost in regulation. According to ESPN stats, the Giants began Monday ranked 30th in the league in total yards surrendered per game (385.0) and 30th with an average of 27.8 points allowed per contest. 

Additionally, Giants rookie pass-rusher Abdul Carter was benched for the opening series of the team's 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 16 after he missed a walk-through leading up to that game.

Why Giants likely didn't wait to make Shane Bowen move

Some previously assumed the Giants would wait until their bye to make another significant change to their coaching staff. However, interim head coach Mike Kafka is auditioning to win the job on a full-time basis. It's now clear that Kafka didn't see Bowen as part the solution for a team that has lost six straight games. 

The Giants next play at the red-hot New England Patriots (10-2) in a "Monday Night Football" contest on Dec. 1. As of Monday morning, ESPN BET had the Giants as 7.5-point underdogs for that game.