EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- TheNew York Giants, after blowing yet another double-digit lead, have fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, interim coach Mike Kafka announced Monday.

The move comes two weeks after the dismissal of head coach Brian Daboll. It was the fifth time this season that Bowen's defense allowed at least a 10-point lead to slip away, tying an NFL record.

Bowen will be replaced on an interim basis by outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen.

"My decision," Kafka said Monday. "My decision to make this move.

"... The results just weren't where we wanted them to be, and so Charlie is going to step up for us and rally the group. The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan. I got a lot of confidence in the room and a lot of confidence in our staff to do that."

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Bowen, 38, was hired by Daboll prior to the start of the 2024 season, replacing Wink Martindale. His defense ranked 30th overall this season, allowing 385 yards per game and 27.8 points. They were also bottom half of the league in both categories last year.

The move came after New York (2-10) blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to theDetroit Lions on Sunday in a 34-27 loss that was capped by a 69-yard touchdown run by the Lions'Jahmyr Gibbs on the first play of overtime.

Kafka said after the game that he had "a lot of confidence" in Bowen and his staff. However, Kafka said Monday that he took a "calculated" approach before making the move.

"I just had an opportunity to watch the tape, look back at a few weeks, watch a lot of the defense, watch a lot of what was going on, the communication, and just felt like this was the right time to do it," Kafka said. "When I got the job quickly, I didn't want to make a lot of rash decisions and jump to anything really quick. I wanted to have some time to sit back, evaluate it, look at it, and figure out what the best thing to do was. So wanted to be calculated how I handled it, and I thought that today was the right time."

Sunday's loss was the Giants' 12th straight road loss dating to last season, extending a franchise record. All five of this season's blown double-digit leads have been on the road.

The Giants are 2-5 in games in which they've held a double-digit lead.

They have lost an NFL-high five games after leading in the fourth quarter. Last month atDenver, they became the first team since at least 1970 to lead by 18-plus points with six minutes remaining and lose in regulation.

Bowen came to the Giants after three seasons as the defensive coordinator inTennessee under Mike Vrabel. With the Titans, Bowen's defenses were known to be stout against the run. They have been anything but with the Giants.

The Giants are allowing a league-worst 5.93 yards per carry.

The defense was expected to be the strength of the team entering the season, especially with so much invested in the team's defensive line. But instead of a strength, it was a weakness with Bowen calling the shots.

Daboll still stuck with Bowen after the defense blew leads in the final seconds inDallas and Denver earlier this season. When Kafka took over, he left open the possibility for more staff changes. He decided to make one after Bowen and the defense allowed another lead to slip away against thePackers and Lions in consecutive weeks.

Bowen seemed to know the pressure was on.

"There's responsibility that falls on me," Bowen said after Daboll was fired last week. "We haven't been good enough defensively, particularly closing out games. Something we're working at, evaluating everything, scheme, personnel, different situations, what we can do to continue to improve and find ways to be at our best when it matters most. Find ways to put these players in positions to make plays at critical parts of the game when it matters most. So, it's something we're continuing to dive into, continuing to work at. We have to find ways to win these games and not give it up in the fourth quarter."

He couldn't find the solutions working with Kafka either, leading the interim coach to make the change. But it's not going to get easier for Bullen, as the Giants next visit theNew England Patriots next Monday night.

"I have a lot of faith in Charlie and the things that he's brought from the pedigree that he brings coming into this defense," Kafka said. "I think he's a smart coach. I think he's detailed, he's aggressive and his room has had a lot of production and I think he's ready for the task -- and I know he is ready for the task. And so he's going to jump in. He's meeting with the staff right now and these guys will get rolling for him."