Report: Signs point to Patriots defensive coordinator Patricia becoming next Giants coach

Signs are reportedly pointing to New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia becoming the next head coach of the New York Giants.

Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported that while the Detroit Lions want to hire the 43-year-old Patricia to fill their head-coaching vacancy, Patricia favors the Giants.

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During the Patriots' playoff bye last week, Patricia interviewed with the Giants, Lions and Arizona Cardinals. But there are strong indications he prefers the Giants to the Lions, according to the New York Daily News.

Patricia and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels interviewed separately on Friday in Foxborough, Mass., with a group from the Giants led by president and co-owner John Mara, new general manager Dave Gettleman and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams.

Patricia has been a member of the New England coaching staff since 2004 and the team's defensive coordinator for the past six seasons. He has been with the Patriots for three of their five Super Bowl victories, as well as their losses to the Giants in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI.

This season, the Patriots' defense ranked 29th in the NFL in yards allowed (366.0), but a much more impressive fifth in scoring defense (18.5 points per game). Only one of the Patriots' final 12 opponents scored more than 24 points.

For the second consecutive season, New England allowed just six rushing touchdowns, the league's second-lowest total. Patricia's 2016 defense finished as the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL by allowing only 15.6 points per game.

Patricia originally joined the Patriots in 2004 as a coaching assistant and the next season he served as assistant offensive line coach. In 2006, Patricia shifted to the Patriots' defensive staff, spending five seasons as the linebackers coach and one year coaching the safeties.

The Giants continue to conduct interviews. Recently fired Denver Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville was scheduled last Thursday, but a snowstorm forced the team to postpone the meeting until Wednesday.

Studesville is the sixth candidate to interview with the Giants, joining their interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo, Patricia, McDaniels, Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The team also asked for permission to interview Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but an interview has not been scheduled.

--Field Level Media