The Giants are a train wreck! After winning their first five games, the Giants have lost four in a row. Their latest last minute collapse against the Chargers 21-20 is going to be a watershed moment for Head Coach Tom Coughlin. If the Giants lose to Atlanta, it is my judgment, restless, frustrated, and irritated fans will begin the Tom Must GO Chant!! This potential scene would be reminiscent of Ray Handley's hapless 1991 Giants. At 5-4, after their bye week, Coughlin's languid Giants have seven games left against formidable opponents. The combine record for these teams is 34-22. Here is the Giants remaining games: (home games in CAPS)
ATLANTA;
at Denver;
DALLAS
PHILADELPHIA
at Washington
CAROLINA
at Minnesota
Out of the seven games, the Giants have four of those games at home. In the past, when Parcells was coaching the Giants this was good news. In his eight years as Giants Head Coach, throwing out the 1987 strike season, Parcells' Giants had a stellar 38-16 home record. Parcells knew how to get things done at Giants Stadium. His teams would play physical ball control football and had QB Phil Simms who knew how to throw at the windy Meadowlands. In addition, under defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, Parcells' teams had top notch defenses. On the other hand, his understudy Coughlin, for five plus seasons is a meager 25-19 at the Meadowlands. At Giants Stadium, his teams are the complete antithesis of Parcells' Giants. Needless to say, Coughlin's teams have not played physical ball control football, his quarterback Eli Manning has not mastered throwing at Giants Stadium, and his defenses have been decent. Add all of this up,especially with potential icy, windy, and cold home games, this is recipe for disaster. Just like Handley's 1991 team, Coughlin's 2009 Giants have some similarities. After Handley's team let a win slip away, Handley said the following, "It was the epitome of our entire season," Handley acknowledged later. "We couldn't take advantage of the opportunities we were given. We had problems in the red zone. We turned the ball over. Penalties. We couldn't stop 'em in the fourth quarter. We gave up big plays."
Doesn't this sound familiar?
Although there is seven games left, Coughlin through words is attempting to salvage his teams season. According to New York Daily News' Ralph Vacchiano, Tom Coughlin told his players, “I did like the way in which we played. I think the energy was back, the enthusiasm was back, the physical play was back.”
Let us hope his words will match the team's deeds. Otherwise, like the Ray Handley situation, Coughlin will be out of a job.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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2 comments:
comparing coughlin to handley is ridiculous as tom is vastly superior. even his 'poor' record at home [25-19] is still above .500.
Xtian,
Last year, Coughlin should have won a championship. He did not get it done. This year, it looks like his team will implode. Handley had a Super Bowl team too and screwed up a chance at repeating.
Agreed Coughlin is better than Handley. Handley had better coaches than Coughlin. Coughlin does not surround himself with top notch coordinators. Spags was his best hire.
Coughlin had Hufnagel, Lewis, Gilbride, Sheridan. I think these choices speak for themselves.
Coughlin has not corrected red zone and defense.
In football, luck plays an important part on the outcome of games. 2007 Championship looks like lightning in a bottle.
Coughlin like Handley lost games for us.
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