This weekend’s divisional-round playoff results didn’t do much to help any of the league's ongoing coaching searches. The New England Patriots and their coordinator candidates cruised past the Tennessee Titans on Saturday. Then, when it seemed that at least one coveted option would be free to sign on Monday, Pat Shurmur and the Minnesota Vikings used a miracle finish to produce a walk-off win over the New Orleans Saints.

All this did was complicate things for the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts. They’re the three teams remaining in limbo as they enter Week 3 of their coaching searches.

The only clarity that came from the weekend was a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that pegged Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to the Detroit Lions. That inevitably will happen.

That’s not a total shock, but it is a gut punch to the Giants. They had Patricia at the top of their list, according to multiple sources. But they also knew there was always the possibility that Patricia would land with the Lions. That connection has been in place for a couple of years.

The Giants are left in the running for Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Shurmur, with Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks lingering just outside of the inner-circle at this point. McDaniels is considered by many to be the favorite to land the Colts job, and Shurmur is in the same situation with the Cardinals.

Which leaves the Giants where exactly?

Once described as a long shot by a source, Wilks could emerge as Ben McAdoo’s successor. He has the support of one major player in the room: general manager Dave Gettleman. The two worked together in Carolina and are known to have a strong relationship. Even though Wilks doesn’t necessarily fill the requirement of some in the organization of having been a head coach or an experienced coordinator, he ultimately could be their guy given the respect he demands from his players.

But first, there is the musical chairs for Shurmur, McDaniels, the Giants, the Cardinals and the Colts. There are two prime candidates with three chairs to fill. One will be left vacant. The Giants surely are hoping it is not them, and if they intend to follow the league's hiring rules to a T -- which some believe is their intention -- it could leave them on the sideline while their top choices agree to deals elsewhere through back channels.

It’s a complicated process. The Giants can’t even sit down with Shurmur or McDaniels until next Monday. Co-owner Steve Tisch wasn’t part of their initial interviews, and in an ideal world, he would like to meet with them before any move is made official.

But the Giants might not have that luxury. This weekend didn’t exactly play out well for them. Which brings us to the question of: Why Patricia is headed to the Lions?

The luster of the New York Football Giants undoubtedly has worn off some over the past few years. A job that was once considered the gold standard of the profession apparently no longer has that tag. Too much drama, too much craziness, too many cooks in the kitchen.

But that likely is only a subscript of why Patricia chose the Lions over the Giants. On the football side, it makes plenty of sense. Detroit has a franchise quarterback (Matt Stafford) in his prime. The Giants do not, although they do own the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft. They have a general manager (Bob Quinn) and vice president of player personnel (Kyle O’Brien) whom he knows well from their time together in New England.

The Giants have Gettleman, who might be a deterrent depending on the candidate. The Lions are a team with quality pieces beyond the quarterback that is on the verge of a being good, posting winning records in three of the past four seasons. The Giants have won six or fewer games in three of the past four seasons and have a locker room that needs an overhaul.

All this equates to a decision that multiple league sources never considered in doubt for Patricia, even when it became clear he was at the top of the Giants’ list. It might be a blow to Big Blue and their fans’ egos, but it’s a move that makes sense for Patricia.