New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin is sticking with Bill Sheridan as his defensive coordinator.

Hours after the defense gave another pitiful performance in a 45-38 loss to the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles, Coughlin on Monday gave Sheridan a vote of confidence, saying he was satisfied with the game plans developed by his rookie coordinator.

"I am disappointed in the results, obviously," Coughlin said after the Giants (7-6) lost for the sixth time in eight games.

The slump has dropped New York a game behind Dallas (8-5) in the race for the final wild-card berth, and much of it can be traced to the play of the defense.

After getting off to a 5-0 start, the defense has given up an average of more than 32 points in its past eight games, including three games where the opposition has scored 40 or more points.

New York ranks No. 28 in points allowed, leading only Detroit, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Kansas City, teams who have combined for seven wins.

"Sure, I let him know my support for him and I also let him know it has to be better," Coughlin said. "We've got to do a better job. We're here for one reason. The inconsistency part of it is disturbing, let's face it. Six big play passes and three big play runs. You're not going to beat anybody like that."

Changing coordinators with three games left in the season would not be a rash move for Coughlin. He relieved then-offensive coordinator John Hufnagel and replaced him with current coordinator Kevin Gilbride with a game left in the 2006 season.

Cornerback Terrell Thomas said the defense still has confidence in Sheridan, who was elevated from linebackers coach to coordinator after Steve Spagnuolo was hired as coach of the St. Louis Rams.

"This is his first year and everybody is tough on him," Thomas said. "But at the same time we are professionals and we have to execute our jobs and do it. It's not always on him. He can call the right play, but if we don't execute it, there is nothing he can do."

A perfect example of Sheridan calling the right play and having it backfire came in the third quarter, seconds after the Giants took a 31-30 lead on a 61-yard scoring pass from Eli Manning to Domenik Hixon.

The Eagles returned the ball to the 40-yard line on the kickoff and Donovan McNabb only sent out two receivers on first down. The Giants were in a two-deep zone in which the safeties are not supposed to let anyone get behind them.

The problem was that Michael Johnson was on the right side and he moved up to concentrate on backup Eagles tight end Alex Smith instead of receiver DeSean Jackson, a player who Sheridan harped on all week as one that had to be watched.