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Kevin Gilbride's run as Giants offensive coordinator is likely coming to an end.

(Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger)

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Kevin Gilbride's seven-year run as Giants offensive coordinator appears to be days away from coming to an end.

There are high-ranking officials in the Giants organization that believe Gilbride will be fired, according to a source with knowledge of the organization's thinking. And the belief is that unless something surprising occurs in organizational meetings over the next week, the Giants will have a new offensive coordinator next season.

Among the chief reasons for the change: the regression of quarterback Eli Manning, who threw a franchise record 27 interceptions this season.

It may take some time before the move is made official. The Giants are in the process of an organization evaluation that head coach Tom Coughlin said could stretch into next week.

The source said it's unlikely Coughlin will put his job on the line for Gilbride.

Owner John Mara declined to comment on any specific coaching move, but he did say there would be "some changes that are going to be made in the entire organization, and whether (a coaching change) ends up being one of them or not, I'd rather wait until we had those discussions first."

Coughlin and Gilbride go back to their days with the Jacksonville Jaguars when Gilbride was the offensive coordinator in 1995 and 1996 and Coughlin was the head coach. When Coughlin was hired to be the Giants head coach in 2004, he brought Gilbride into the organization as the quarterbacks coach. Gilbride later was promoted to offensive coordinator.

But even Coughlin wouldn't guarantee the jobs of anyone on his staff Monday after the Giants finished the season 7-9, missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five years and Mara labeled the offense "broken."

"(Changes to the coaching staff), that certainly will all be discussed throughout the course of this week. Everything will be evaluated," Coughlin said. "I have great confidence in this group of men we've had here in this coaching staff. And I believe in them strongly." BEGIN SOCIAL BOX

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But it became obvious when Mara spoke some 30 minutes later that the offense was his primary concern. The Giants finished 28th in total offense, 29th in rushing offense, 19th in passing offense and 28th in points per game. Manning (18 touchdowns, 29 turnovers) also had the worst season of his career.

“I think our offense is broken right now, and we need to fix that,” Mara said.

The Giants owner even seemed to point fingers at his offensive coordinator when asked about third-year wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan, who made his first significant contribution as a Giant in the final two games of the season.

“I’m not sure why it took us three years to find out Jerrel Jernigan could play. We finally put him in the game and he starts making plays,” Mara said. “Sometimes you have to put younger players in the game and give them a chance to fail, or succeed.

“It’s true not only of him but some other guys, too. It would have been nice if he had gotten in earlier. You know, that is not my decision.”

Personnel decisions during games usually fall into the hands of the coordinators. But that is far from the only gripe about Gilbride inside the Giants organization. There were a "lot of things," according to a source.

Along with Manning's subpar play, there have been questions about Gilbride's play-calling, which played a part in Manning's interceptions.



"He's still the face of the franchise and we need to help him," Mara said. "We need to give him some better tools and do a better job around him next year."

It appears that begins by replacing one of the voices in Manning's ear.

One of the names likely to surface as a replacement is former Giants assistant Mike Sullivan, who was let go by the Bucs on Monday when they fired head coach Greg Schiano. Sullivan, the Giants' former quarterbacks coach, was Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator the previous two seasons.

"We obviously think very highly of him," Mara said.