Joshua Robinson of the New York Times has written an excellent article about the giant meltdown in the Big Easy. What I found interesting is candid quotes from some of the Giants players. From the "New Toast" (the original "Toast" is former Giants CB Elvis Patterson) C.C. Brown, “We pretty much got on our high horse,” he said Monday. “We thought it was going to be another brush-through game.” CB Terrell Thomas shared this,
the defeat was destined before the Giants even boarded a plane to New Orleans. He chalked it up to a disappointing week of preparation, one that he thought lacked enthusiasm, excitement and the Giants’ normally up-tempo rhythm.
All the mistakes they made against the Saints, he said, had cropped up during practice but had gone unresolved.
“You can’t just say, ‘We’re going to correct it,’ and then automatically do it on Sunday,”
I find these statements troubling. And this is not the first time a player has questioned Coughlin's leadership. I think there is a disturbing pattern. Last year, the Giants suffered a very disappointing playoff loss to the Eagles. This early exit left a bitter taste in the mouths of the players and fans. One player in particular called out Coughlin. Former Giant WR Amani Toomer sounded off about the teams preparation. An accusation that Tom Coughlin's staff members didn't operate with the same urgency as last season, when they were on the verge of being fired: "Last year, when everybody's jobs were on the line, everything was pedal-to-the-metal. All of a sudden, this year, it's a different kind of feeling."
A shot at the play-calling: "They try to rely on the offensive line. And I think our offensive line is great, but they're great when we mix it up." It makes me wonder if Coughlin has what it takes to win another championship. In addition, I am being to think the improbable Super Bowl XLII Championship was "lightning in a bottle".
Three years ago, former Giants RB Tiki Barber called out Coughlin for the Giants pathetic performance against the Panthers in an NFC Wildcard playoff game. The Giants lost 23-0. Barber had this to say about Coughlin, ''I don't think they were overly more physical than anyone else we'd played,'' he said. ''I just think they had a good scheme. I think in some ways we were outcoached. They had more intensity than we did, they played more consistently than we did, and that's why they won this game.''
What do you think? Do you think Coughlin gets outcoached?
Friday, October 23, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Yes I do believe that Coach Coughlin does get out coached,because they were not prepared for the Saints, he did not have the whole team focused for the Saints they where playing like they were not there and the Giants did not make any adjustments you can't look back evey game is different and you could see the Staints were well prepared its sad to say the Gaints are a very predictable team on offense and his offensive coordinator I think has his head in sand when it comes to the RED zone I always said why doesn't he watch other good team in the RED zone I just hope that Coach Coughlin could turn this mess around because I feel that the Giants could be 5-3 at their bye week and after that the schedule doesn;t get any easier
When multiple relatively minor factors combine to undermine a unit, then we see the unpredictable outcomes like the catastrophe in New Orleans. Those factors include everything the loss of Spags to the Rams with a successor who might not have what it takes to inspire a defense to perform at previous levels, to key losses to injury like Kenny Phillips, Aaron Ross, and Michael Boley, to as previously stated the lack of a sense of urgency now that the position and head coaches feel job security. That job security that comes with success lays the seeds for predictable play calling and a general lack of killer instinct that keeps defenses guessing... causes that split second of hesitation in coverage or blitzing scheme execution. Finally, the Giants have on occasion demonstrated a slowness to adjust to what they didn't anticipate before the game. Sticking with what isn't working in hopes that something magical will happen that suddenly makes it work is not going to win championships. Hope is not a strategy. Contemplation and consideration right up until the final two minute warning results in blowouts. Get hungry again. Coach and play as if you're job is on the line again. Get unpredictable. Take a calculated chance now and then when the time is right. Lose the fear.
Post a Comment