Tom Coughlin on Giants' woes: 'I'm responsible'

[BronxRik]

 

Tom Coughlin has been written off as the soon-to-be former coach of the Giants so many times by now, it can be excused if he stopped paying attention to the rumor mill long ago.

But even Coughlin won't deny that this year feels different. The Giants are about to miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, their longest drought since the dark pre-Parcells days of the 70s and early 80s.

 

To compound matters, the Giants are crawling to the finish line. After losing a ridiculous string of close games entering Week 16, the Giants looked like a broken team during Sunday night's embarrassing blowout loss to the Vikings. Playing without Odell Beckham certainly didn't help, but New York's inability to compete was a decidedly bad look.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who has never played a down in the NFL without Coughlin as his coach, talked like a guy who's been tipped off to seismic activity ahead for a organization lauded for its stability.

"I have great respect for (Coughlin), I wanted to do my job and do my job well, and get into the playoffs and have a big season, so he could continue to be the head coach," Manning said, via the New York Daily News. "Feel disappointed that I wasn't able to play at a better level for him."

 

Manning was one of several Giants players who expressed disappointment they couldn't deliver a better effort on Coughlin's behalf this season.

 

"I feel badly that they feel that way," Coughlin said Monday. "It's a shame that they have to be put in the position where they have to respond about something to do with me. Again, it's not about me. I'm here for them. If you want to break it all down, blame it all on me, I'm the head coach, I'm responsible.

"We lose, I lose the game for our players. Put it that way, leave it that way. We try like heck not to put these young men in a position where they feel badly about the circumstances that the head coach finds himself in."

 

If this is the end for Coughlin, he'll walk away as one of the best coaches in franchise history and the proud owner of two Super Bowl titles. In a year or two, he'll enter the team's Ring of Honor and applause will cascade from the MetLife Stadium rafters before he addresses Giants fans in that familiar grandfatherly tone.

The end was going to come eventually. If we've reached that point, Coughlin has only good things to look forward to.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000611450/article/tom-coughlin-on-giants-woes-im-responsible

 

 

Sure sounds like a different guy than the one who was handing out fines for the wrong color socks and being 'late' to meetings.

 

If he goes, we're in for years of suckiness.

 

 

[Allstarjim]

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000611450/article/tom-coughlin-on-giants-woes-im-responsible

 

 

Sure sounds like a different guy than the one who was handing out fines for the wrong color socks and being 'late' to meetings.

 

If he goes, we're in for years of suckiness.

 

 

 

It really just depends on who they bring in. Queue for Seph for the Cowher pic. I would like the coordinators to stay. I think the team showed enough improvement with McAdoo to justify him staying, and I just feel Spags has the right mentality and defensive philosophy to be successful with this team if Reese (or another GM) gives him some players. I just wonder if Parcells might be brought in for an advisory role if Reese is fired. I could actually see that happening.

[Mr. P]

 

It really just depends on who they bring in. Queue for Seph for the Cowher pic. I would like the coordinators to stay. I think the team showed enough improvement with McAdoo to justify him staying, and I just feel Spags has the right mentality and defensive philosophy to be successful with this team if Reese (or another GM) gives him some players. I just wonder if Parcells might be brought in for an advisory role if Reese is fired. I could actually see that happening.

 

Good luck hiring a headcoach who is any good while forcing 2 coordinators on him.

[fringe]

 

It really just depends on who they bring in. Queue for Seph for the Cowher pic. I would like the coordinators to stay. I think the team showed enough improvement with McAdoo to justify him staying, and I just feel Spags has the right mentality and defensive philosophy to be successful with this team if Reese (or another GM) gives him some players. I just wonder if Parcells might be brought in for an advisory role if Reese is fired. I could actually see that happening.

Nah, Parcells is too old, and he never was much of a GM. I agree with all of your other points.

[Gman329]

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000611450/article/tom-coughlin-on-giants-woes-im-responsible

 

 

Sure sounds like a different guy than the one who was handing out fines for the wrong color socks and being 'late' to meetings.

 

 

 

 

 

Disagree. I think he always held himself as accountable as anyone else in the organization.

[Tempest]

If Tom Coughlin goes, they go too. Spags didn't have enough to work with and half the time McAdoo has had. McAdoo I think has failed to prove he is a capable offensive coordinator. Improving the play of Eli Manning is a QB Coach job and improving the offense is the job of the Offensive Coordinator and this offense is as bad as it was under Gilbride two years later.

 

If this is the last game for Tom Coughlin, then I hope we kill the fucking Eagles in tribute.

[Iceman_NYG]

Spags can stay - he did all he could with scrubs. McAdoo should be demoted. He is just a pathetic OC. Bring in the OC of the Panthers - that guy seems quite creative in using the players on Offense.

[Gman329]

Spags can stay - he did all he could with scrubs. McAdoo should be demoted. He is just a pathetic OC. Bring in the OC of the Panthers - that guy seems quite creative in using the players on Offense.

 

Yeah, I love the way he gets Cam Newton to move around the pocket to buy time when the play breaks down and frequently run for big yardage. Think that would work with Eli?

[GA4M]

 

Yeah, I love the way he gets Cam Newton to move around the pocket to buy time when the play breaks down and frequently run for big yardage. Think that would work with Eli?

That's one thing I want in our next QB, Eli has never been able to move around in the pocket with any speed. all the defenses are going with speed these days and our QB style is outdated.

[Iceman_NYG]

Eli is not a running QB. But he moves in the pocket as well as anybody does. Look at our OL!!! Spags doesn't have a pass rusher worth shit!! The game has evolved yes.....and it will evolve after Eli. But Nassib aint the answer.

[GA4M]

Eli is not a running QB. But he moves in the pocket as well as anybody does. Look at our OL!!! Spags doesn't have a pass rusher worth shit!! The game has evolved yes.....and it will evolve after Eli. But Nassib aint the answer.

But he's not able to get away from people, he's just like Peyton. without a GREAT O-Line he makes too many mistakes "rookie like". NY is just leading Nassib on because he'll never be the starter IMO.

[MikeGL]

Yep, so sick of this guy now. He was good while it lasted, but I had enough of 4 years and missing the playoffs constantly. And it's scary because the last time we won the SB, our record was garbage too. It's like we have to hope the NFC East is worse than us.

[JMFP]

I feel bad for TC.

 

Tom proved he can win with the right players, and he did it under 2 GMs.

 

Reese hasn't proven anything. He had one solid draft, a handful of other good picks. But the vast majority have lacked the toughness, intelligence, or instincts to play NFL football. Lack of cap room and lack of playmakers: that's been his legacy.

 

Reese was given an incredible luxury - he didn't have to replace a coach or QB. That is a task that hobbles most GMs. All he had to do was fortify certain positions over the past 9 drafts. This season this team was the worst roster I've seen under Coughlins tenure.

 

As long as this GM, training staff, and scouting operation are NY Giants, I don't have much faith. They have all let Coughlin down.

 

For what it's worth, though, Coughlin had a very shaky season coaching this team. I don't know if that was just him pushing the envelope because he felt he had too, or if he was too loyal to his assistants and players and gave them the rope that is now going to hang him. Maybe a little of both.

[Sephiroth]

Don't kid yourselves... the only way any of these assistants stay is if the new coach wants them.

[Storm]

I have had fans of other teams consistently ask me why the Giants insist on hiring subpar, below average, never befores, and retread coordinators. Spags sucks. McAdoo should be a QB coach.

[Allstarjim]

It drives me nuts when I hear people say stuff like, "Nassib isn't the answer." Like, how the fuck do you know? Excuse my French. The guy has done not just well, but exceptionally well every single time he's had an opportunity. You can try to diminish him if you want to saying he hasn't proved himself in a real game against a real defense yet, but damn, he can't control that. And by the way, the beautiful TD pass he threw to Myles White against the Vikings was on their starting cornerback, Xavier Rhodes.

 

I'm not saying he's the next Aaron Rodgers, but I don't think anyone can say for certain how good he can be in this league until he's given a real opportunity... he's made the most of what little he's gotten thus far, though, and you can't take that away from him.

 

And speaking of Rodgers, he had plenty of doubters himself as he toiled away on the bench for YEARS behind Favre. Food for thought.

 

 

And by the way Drizzle, Bill Belichek couldn't have been successful with this group of players we have on defense. Spags has had them competing pretty hard if you ask me and I think he's done more with nothing than most people would've done, and a fuckton better than Perry Fewell.

[Allstarjim]

That's one thing I want in our next QB, Eli's has never been able to move around in the pocket with any speed. all the defenses are going with speed these days and our QB style is outdated.

 

The QB and offense playing at arguably the highest level is Carson Palmer and his guys. He's a pocket passer if there ever was one. It's not outdated, although escapability is a plus.

[Tempest]

Going back to the Vikings game during I believe the fourth quarter of fun, Collinsworth & Michaels were talking about the Giants defense. They will play you hard but give up the big play and on queue, exactly what happened.

 

I supported Perry Fewell over the last few years and I think this season was a bit of redemption for him since so many of you thought anyone could do a better job with the talent on the team. Giants paid dearly for the aggressiveness Spags showed on defense with the lack of talent and depth.

[GA4M]

 

The QB and offense playing at arguably the highest level is Carson Palmer and his guys. He's a pocket passer if there ever was one. It's not outdated, although escapability is a plus.

It does make it harder on the defense though. Like Cam Newton, you have to keep someone on him or he makes you pay. I know Eli is what he is, but I'd like some extra mobility in the next QB.

[Allstarjim]

Going back to the Vikings game during I believe the fourth quarter of fun, Collinsworth & Michaels were talking about the Giants defense. They will play you hard but give up the big play and on queue, exactly what happened.

 

I supported Perry Fewell over the last few years and I think this season was a bit of redemption for him since so many of you thought anyone could do a better job with the talent on the team. Giants paid dearly for the aggressiveness Spags showed on defense with the lack of talent and depth.

 

This defense has less talent than last year's squad, and the results are about the same. Don't get me wrong, the defense hasn't been good. But despite the huge yardage totals particularly recently, for most of the year the defense was doing a good job of stopping the run. Remember, the Giants didn't have JPP for more than half the season, the only legitimate pass rusher on this team, no Hankins, no Antrell Rolle, no deep safety (Fewell at least had Stevie Brown, who was admittedly hit or miss). You can't be as bad as the Giants were on defense under Fewell with the personnel he had, which wasn't great or even good, but wasn't THIS BAD. Honestly, what has Spags had to work with this year? A one-handed JPP and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That's pretty much it. Sure, throw in a promising rookie in Collins who did well in run support. But this was a team this year that started a good number of games with U'ani Unga at MLB. With Brandon Meriweather at FS. Just a horrible lack of talent.

[Storm]

It drives me nuts when I hear people say stuff like, "Nassib isn't the answer." Like, how the fuck do you know? Excuse my French. The guy has done not just well, but exceptionally well every single time he's had an opportunity. You can try to diminish him if you want to saying he hasn't proved himself in a real game against a real defense yet, but damn, he can't control that. And by the way, the beautiful TD pass he threw to Myles White against the Vikings was on their starting cornerback, Xavier Rhodes.

 

I'm not saying he's the next Aaron Rodgers, but I don't think anyone can say for certain how good he can be in this league until he's given a real opportunity... he's made the most of what little he's gotten thus far, though, and you can't take that away from him.

 

And speaking of Rodgers, he had plenty of doubters himself as he toiled away on the bench for YEARS behind Favre. Food for thought.

 

 

And by the way Drizzle, Bill Belichek couldn't have been successful with this group of players we have on defense. Spags has had them competing pretty hard if you ask me and I think he's done more with nothing than most people would've done, and a fuckton better than Perry Fewell.

 

 

And Nassib fits what the Giants are trying to do better than Eli does. Not saying he has the acumen and cerebral ability to read defenses presnap (not that Eli has done exceptionally well with that, this year, either) but his mobility, ability to move in the pocket, throw on the run, and make quick timed throws is at or above Eli, right now. And that's what McAdoo, and this offensive line, is asking Eli to do. I have no doubts that Nassib is going to go on to be a serviceable quarterback for someone and if that someone happens to be the Giants, where he has developed behind Eli and with an offense that he "grew up" in, he might be more than serviceable for the Giants.

[Storm]

Jim, Perry Fewell has led one of the best secondaries in the league, with injuries to guys like Chris Culliver and journeymen like Will Blackmon starting at CB. I'm not saying he's a great coordinator but he was doing the same exact things Spagnuolo is doing...blitzing ineffectively, sometimes blitzing guys out of plays, and giving huge cushions to allow teams to march down the field and then try to stop them in the red zone in the hopes of only giving up a field goal.

 

The difference is that where Fewell's guys had a hard time converting the turnovers, Spags guys are typically taking advantage. Except DRC who has two dropped pick sixes, ugh!

[Allstarjim]

Well, under Fewell I was screaming for blitzes... what has dogged both DC's with the Giants is an inability of the players to get pressure on the QB, whether or not the blitz comes. Everyone knows that most NFL QB's will carve you up if you don't get pressure.

[Herc]

That was a beautiful throw for sure. I was surprised there weren't any threads lol

[fringe]

I like what Spags did this year with very little talent. Hope he stays.