Jints lose TE Fells for season

GIANTS NOTES

It is a significant loss to the Giants. Fells, 32, was the best blocking tight end on the roster, by a wide margin. He was also a reliable passcatcher who earned the trust of Eli Manning. Fells only played in two games this season and had six receptions for 60 yards.

Without him, the Giants are thin at tight end, with Larry Donnell, Jerome Cunningham and Will Tye currently on the roster. Cunningham (Southern Connecticut) and Tye (Stony Brook) are rookies from lowerlevel football programs. Cunningham has not played since Week 2 because of a knee injury. Tye made his NFL debut in Buffalo and dropped the only pass thrown his way.

It is likely the Giants will look to sign a tight end in the next few days — quite possibly after Tuesday’s weekly workouts with available free agents. Adrien Robinson, a Giants fourthround pick in 2012, did not make the final cut this summer and will attend the tryout.

“If we can do with what we have here, fine,’’ Coughlin said. “If there is something that we can look into that will improve us in other areas, then so be that, too.’’

The 28 combined accepted penalties (17 on the Bills, 11 on the Giants) is the highest total in a Giants game since Sept. 21, 2003, when the Giants and Redskins combined for 32 penalties.

Weekly Nikita Whitlock snap counts: Offense 13, defense 8, special teams 23. And he registered his first NFL sack late in the game.

“I feel so bad for those guys who have to block that guy,’’ C Weston Richburg said. “He’s a mismatch when he gets in there, especially at the end of games when guys are tired.’’

Coughlin on the decision to have Eli

Manning pass, leading 2410 and already in chipshot fieldgoal range: “No, I don’t regret the call, I regret the result,’’ said Coughlin of a passplay that turned into Manning’s first interception of the season.