It seems that I and the Giant world must continue to live with Coach Tom Coughlin. On the eve of preparation for a return to the Super Bowl with the formidable New England Patriots, the success of winning the last five games in a row would make it a difficult time to change coaches.
The question surely is fitting as to why a change would be necessary after such success. A moot question at best because he will be staying. The answer never the less is forthcoming.
He, Tom Coughlin, chooses a very strange and dangerous method of utilizing his players. He gives no recognition to his players unless urged. He has caused players to be hurt and waived do to personal issues.The misuse of Brandon Jacobs, for one, the over exposure of the great Eli Manning to injury for the other.
On Brandon Jacobs, he has chosen to NOT give this great player consistent opportunities to run the ball. Consistent being 20-25 carries per game. This a critical factor with big running backs and a religious factor in football by all other coaches with a powerful runner.The use of D.J. Ware and the abuse of Ahmad Bradshaw, with a critical injury to his foot are the options he has chosen this year. The cost is lack of ball control, excessive exposure of defense and losses to Seattle and Washington etc. It is no accident they have to make their run on the Super Bowl on “the road” again, rather than the friendly home field in the Meadowlands. Brandon is a healthy 6’4″ running back who can catch, block and run the forty yard test in 4.5 seconds or better.
On Eli Manning over exposure to possible injury due to predictable passing attack and unnecessary physical pounding by opponents defense..What are the Giants without Eli?
This is a personal opinion obviously, and I have attempted to express these errors in prior Giant posts.
The larger problem is that his strategies make winning more difficult and a uncertainty until the game is over. He is blessed with the best GM in the NFL and never ever gives recognition or credit in any way to this GM or the plethora of excellent players he is provided with.
Players have a limited time to be at their best in athletics.The possibility of injury and other interruptions to careers are a reality of life. Winning is the only goal and winning is what the Giants have managed to do recently to save his job. He has existed on the edge of being fired many times. It is a wonderful fact that the Giants have continued to win. They win in spite of Coach Coughlin’s ill decisions and mismanagement
The Giants win because of superior personnel, players to be more specific. In this difficult time of limited payroll flexibility and free agency the Giants are stocked with outstanding football players at every position it seems. Eli is the elite and resourceful leader that quarterbacks must be. Running backs, linemen on offense and defense, special teams, wide receivers, it goes on and on. No other team in the NFL has these stalwart athletic people at every position.
This is because the Giant’s General Manager is a genius..He knows football and he knows who can play the game and who cannot. He knows the business end and how to negotiate with the agent representatives of the players. His name is Jerry Reese .
He did not choose this coach. I am certain he would be open to selecting another if the opportunity or need was there. He is proven truly uniquely competent because the players he selects cannot lose for long. They are simply too good.
Football is played on the field by the players. That fine edge of being a consistent and dominant winner comes with the knowledge of what to use and when to use it. Coaching is the element that makes the difference here.
Coughlin will win because of his players. He will also cost the Giants great opportunity to be immortal by injuring players and letting them be waived for other teams to benefit. He will cost the Giants home field advantage by losing games to weaker teams in the season. He will kill the opportunity for immortality by misusing the athlete or worse not using him at all. Jerry Reese cannot remedy this. Ownership has given Coughlin an “extended” stay over and again. I do wonder if he would be getting these chances if he was minority member….But, that is a subject for another day.
I am a loyal Giant fan.
I, too, am ecstatic when they win. I am certainly glad Coach Coughlin can smile. Winning must be a great laxative too.
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