LANDOVER, Md. -- New York Giants president and CEO John Mara didn't take long to decide the fate of Tom Coughlin.

In fact, not long after the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight year, a defiant Mara announced that his head coach was coming back for another season.

"I'm obviously disappointed we didn't make the playoffs but that doesn't mean you blow the whole thing up," Mara said after the Giants beat the Redskins 17-14 in the regular-season finale that proved meaningless after the Packers clinched a playoff berth with a 10-3 win over the Bears. "I think we have a good solid organization and there are some things we can improve on but he's still the guy that we want as our head coach."

Mara met with Coughlin during the middle of last week to express that ownership supported the head coach. Mara said he did not need to see what happened on Sunday to bring the 64-year-old head coach back.

The Giants (10-6) needed to beat the Redskins and have the Packers lose to the Bears in order to make the playoffs. Their slim playoff hopes were dashed with Green Bay's win.

Of course, the Giants let their playoff chances slip through their hands like one of their 42 maddening turnovers this season. They had the NFC East title within their grasp but blew a 31-10 lead over the Eagles in the last eight minutes of a 38-31 defeat to their division rival two weeks ago.

The Giants were trounced in Green Bay the following week, 45-17, with a playoff berth at stake.

Despite that, Mara felt players still believed in Coughlin and played for the head coach, who is only three seasons removed from one of the greatest Super Bowl victories of all time. Coughlin has had just one losing season (6-10 in 2004) with the Giants since taking over in 2004.

"I'm proud of how the players battled through the injuries," Mara said of a team that had to use six different starting combinations on the offensive line and had five wide receivers land on injured reserve. "I think that is a testament to the coach."