New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh faced criticism after his team squandered a fourth-quarter lead in a 24–21 home loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 10. Despite recording two interceptions against Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels late in the game, the Giants couldn’t hold on for the win.
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith questioned whether Harbaugh belongs among the NFL’s elite coaches. “When you are an elite coach, you don’t lose a game like that,” Smith said Friday. “But he did, and he does.”
A statistic from Harbaugh’s 18 seasons as Baltimore Ravens head coach also drew attention: He has blown 47 fourth-quarter leads since taking over in 2008, the most of any NFL coach during that span.
## Harbaugh Draws More Criticism
The loss dropped the Giants to 5-3-1 and prompted criticism from several commentators and fans. Bill Simmons of The Ringer mocked the way Harbaugh’s team had been outcoached by Washington head coach Dan Quinn.
A Ravens fan also pointed to what they viewed as familiar problems: conservative offense when the Giants had a chance to close out the game and a defense that allowed the lead to slip away. Rapper Freddie Gibbs pushed back against talk of Harbaugh as a Coach of the Year candidate.
The Giants’ late-game opportunities made the defeat especially frustrating. They recorded two interceptions and forced a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter, but still lost. One commentator said the performance felt reminiscent of Harbaugh’s Ravens teams.
## Harbaugh Says the Giants Will Keep Fighting
Harbaugh rejected the idea that the loss would derail the team’s confidence as the Giants prepared to host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11.
“It’s disappointing, but you can’t let it bring you down,” Harbaugh said Thursday night. “Our spirit’s going to be fine. We’re going to be good. We’re not going to curl up. We’re going to come out fighting.”
Harbaugh won a Super Bowl with Baltimore after the 2012 season. The loss to Washington contrasted with some of his past results: Before the game, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan noted that Harbaugh had a 12–4 record in Thursday night games played on short rest and a 16–3 record after a bye week.
