My Fault

[Lughead]

Tom Coughlin: 'I'm responsible; Blame me' for New York Giants loss to San Diego Chargers

BY Ralph Vacchiano

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

 

Wednesday, November 11th 2009, 2:42 PM

 

Savulich/News Giantshead coach Tom Coughlin says he's to blame for the Giants' 21-20 lossto the Chargers Sunday that pushes Big Blue into the bye week on afour-game losing streak.

Tom Coughlin came out firing Wednesday afternoon, warning the media and fans to get off his players' backs and get off his coaches' backs.

 

If you want to blame someone, blame him.

 

"Ithought it was perfectly clear, but let me express it so no longer doesanyone else receive any type of blame," Coughlin said. "The blame goesright here. That's all."

 

He offered that up unsolicited at thestart of his final chat with the media before his players take theweekend off. He was apparently set off by "what someone said thismorning" about the Giants' ill-fated offensive possession late in the fourth quarter when they had the ball at the Chargers' 4-yard line but were unable to score.

 

Coughlinhas taken some heat for not directing his offense to throw at least onepass in the end zone in an attempt to score on that drive, even after aholding penalty pushed them back to the Chargers' 14. Offensivecoordinator Kevin Gilbride has taken heat for his play-calling down there. And Eli Manning has taken heat for calling an audible out of at least one pass play and changing it to a run.

 

Though it's not clear who or what specifically set Coughlin off, he didn't waste any time placing the target on his own back.

 

"Letme start out by saying that I'm responsible for all of the decisionsthat are made with our football team," Coughlin began. "The green zonedecisions are my responsibility. They are nobody else's. No one elsemade a mistake. The quarterback did not make a mistake. The decisionwas mine.

 

"I was asked the other day if I had an opportunity,would I change it? Would I do something different? Well, my answer tothat is: Does that mean I can also change the fumbled snap (on) theball that we thought was going to be a fourth and inches that ended upbeing fourth and 10, which nobody has even recognized or talked aboutthat? Can I change the running into the returner on the fair catchpenalty? Can I change the 29-yard pass interference penalty? If you'llgive me a chance to change all of those, I'll change all of those, too.

 

"Butit's my responsibility and that's where it stops. Right here. Nobodyelse is to blame. So let's not continue to grope around trying tofigure that situation out. I will tell you right now we were doingeverything we possibly could to win."

 

 

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

[Storm]

I like how he compares things totally out of his control (such as running into the fair catcher) to something that totally is in his control (calling for a pass in the 4th).

[so-cal dub]

"I was asked the other day if I had an opportunity,would I change it? Would I do something different? Well, my answer tothat is: Does that mean I can also change the fumbled snap (on) theball that we thought was going to be a fourth and inches that ended upbeing fourth and 10, which nobody has even recognized or talked aboutthat? Can I change the running into the returner on the fair catchpenalty? Can I change the 29-yard pass interference penalty? If you'llgive me a chance to change all of those, I'll change all of those, too

 

yeah that sounds like he's taking the blame.

[fishgutmartyr]

I don't know, it depends on how he said it.

 

If he sounded like he meant that he can't change what happened, then this isn't a big deal.

 

Well, even if he meant there were plenty of fuck-ups to go around, this isn't a big deal.