They lost Williams and Wilson in that safety spot, and were down to the 3rd string. The defensive line was a shambles, the QB was a rookie. The OLine was Pettigout, Whittle, O'Hara, a rookie Snee, and at RT Diehl. They were losing games, but some were close, which was surprising considering some of the defenses they played. They won the last game--that wouldn't have happened if they mailed it in.
I'll admit I like Coughlin better than Fassel, but I don't think he's great, either. But you have to admit, the past 3 years were a hell of a lot more fun than most of the previous 10+.