The stunning loss by the Patriots Saturday night in an AFC wild-card playoff game had a direct effect on the scheduling of the coaching search the Giants are currently undertaking.

There are no more games for the Patriots to prepare for, meaning their offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, is ready to talk to any interested teams about head-coaching positions. The Giants have McDaniels on their list and will meet with him sooner than expected. Previously, McDaniels announced any interviews would take place Jan. 10, but that was before the Patriots were eliminated by the Titans 20-13 at Gillette Stadium.

The Giants will speak with McDaniels and also want to interview Joe Judge, the Patriots special teams coach, who also is now readily available. The Giants will meet with one of the Patriots’ assistants on Monday and the other on Wednesday, with Baylor coach Matt Rhule getting his much-anticipated interview on Tuesday.

Thus, McDaniels might skip ahead of Rhule on the schedule. Rhule, 44, was a Giants assistant in 2012, his only year in the NFL. He was on vacation with his family in Mexico following Baylor’s Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia. He will speak with the Panthers on Monday and the Giants the next day.

When this first round of interviews is complete, the Giants will have spoken with seven candidates to fill the vacancy created when Pat Shurmur was fired two years into his five-year contract.

McDaniels will be busy. He reportedly has garnered interest from the Browns and Panthers, in addition to the Giants, and will meet with all three teams early this week. The Giants can reassess their notes from two years ago, as they interviewed McDaniels in 2018 before hiring Shurmur. That hiring cycle ended with McDaniel’s agreeing to become the head coach of the Colts before abruptly changing his mind and returning to the Patriots.

The Giants have completed four interviews: Cowboys defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink’’ Martindale and former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Of the group, it is believed McCarthy has the most serious chance to land the Giants’ job. Rhule is also considered a strong contender – very likely the strongest – heading into his interview.

McDaniels and the Giants does not seem like a solid match, considering general manager Dave Gettleman is in place and McDaniels is likely seeking more input and control of the roster and personnel decisions than the Giants would give him.

With the Patriots out of the playoffs, it also kick-starts the intrigue surrounding Bill Belichick and his future with the franchise he turned into a dynasty. There is speculation Belichick’s contract is either up or that he has an out clause in it that could make him a free agent. His admiration for the Giants is no secret – he got his start working for the Giants and often waxes poetic about his time in New Jersey – and if he were to try to rebuild another team, the Giants make the most sense. Belichick worked magic with Tom Brady and could try to do the same with Daniel Jones.

This is a long-shot scenario, but Belichick (just ask the Jets) has a history of pulling some shocking maneuvers to get out of places and into where he wants to end up.