2008 Woodie Awards
NY Giants In The Early Playoff Hunt
Pete DeFelice
Issue date: 10/21/04 Section: Sports
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Like many were at the beginning of the football season, I was skeptical about just how much of an impact Tom Coughlin could make on an undisciplined, unwilling Giants team. The Giants were 4-4 at the halfway point of the 2003-2004 season, only to lose their last eight in a row to finish a staggering 4-12. The Giants had a quarterback who was on his way out, a special teams unit that became the butt of every football joke, and a tight end that not only cost the team more penalty yards than any other player on the Giants, but also couldn't catch a single pass, not to mention four big touchdown passes dropped. Management needed to make a bold statement to the NFL that the Giants were a team on the rise.
The Giants were able to get Eli Manning on a trade with the San Diego Chargers during the NFL Draft, but they needed a quarterback that could train Eli for the big time. Kurt Warner, from the St. Louis Rams, was that man. Many were not impressed at the pickup of Warner, since the Giants had been his kryptonite in the past, knocking him out of commission in game one of the 2003-2004 season. However, in Kurt Warner, Coughlin saw potential and leadership that the Giants had lacked in past years.
Coughlin was tough in the preseason. So much, in fact, that his players had filed grievances with him on the hardness of training in the hot conditions. Coughlin chalked it up to immaturity and decided to continue running his "unit" the way he saw fit. He even went as far as demanding players to show up five minutes early to team meetings, which means if a player is only three minutes early, he is considered late. This didn't go over well with Michael Strahan. He filed another grievance with the NFL about Coughlin's expectations being "over the top". Nevertheless, Coughlin felt his team needed hard discipline that they never had with Fossil behind the wheel.
The Giants started the season against the Philadelphia Eagles and were outplayed. The Giants lost 31-17 and seemed to have resumed where they were last season. Coughlin wasn't ready to throw it all in yet. He worked the Giants harder and, instead of playing the "fight for the QB position" game, gave Kurt Warner the green light for the rest of the season. Since game one, the Giants have won four straight (4-1), coming off a bye week. They have a home game coming up against the Lions this Sunday.
In my opinion, the Giants have done very well, so far. However, they have eleven games left to play and need to win at least five for a chance at the playoffs. Bottom line: they need to beat the Lions this week and there is no reason why they shouldn't. The Giants' defense needs to come out just as strong as they have been doing, however Kurt Warner needs to do a better job in the red zone. Instead of relying on the run, he needs to become more comfortable going to Toomer and Shockey for the sideline catches in the end zone; a comfort that I feel will come as the season progresses. Also, for the Giants to have any playoff hopes, they need to beat the teams they should, so they don't have to pull miracles against the teams that are on the same hot, or hotter, streaks. After Detroit, the Giants will play five of the last ten games against teams, currently, with losing records. Only time will tell if there is at least a seventeen game season in store for the Giants.
The Giants were able to get Eli Manning on a trade with the San Diego Chargers during the NFL Draft, but they needed a quarterback that could train Eli for the big time. Kurt Warner, from the St. Louis Rams, was that man. Many were not impressed at the pickup of Warner, since the Giants had been his kryptonite in the past, knocking him out of commission in game one of the 2003-2004 season. However, in Kurt Warner, Coughlin saw potential and leadership that the Giants had lacked in past years.
Coughlin was tough in the preseason. So much, in fact, that his players had filed grievances with him on the hardness of training in the hot conditions. Coughlin chalked it up to immaturity and decided to continue running his "unit" the way he saw fit. He even went as far as demanding players to show up five minutes early to team meetings, which means if a player is only three minutes early, he is considered late. This didn't go over well with Michael Strahan. He filed another grievance with the NFL about Coughlin's expectations being "over the top". Nevertheless, Coughlin felt his team needed hard discipline that they never had with Fossil behind the wheel.
The Giants started the season against the Philadelphia Eagles and were outplayed. The Giants lost 31-17 and seemed to have resumed where they were last season. Coughlin wasn't ready to throw it all in yet. He worked the Giants harder and, instead of playing the "fight for the QB position" game, gave Kurt Warner the green light for the rest of the season. Since game one, the Giants have won four straight (4-1), coming off a bye week. They have a home game coming up against the Lions this Sunday.
In my opinion, the Giants have done very well, so far. However, they have eleven games left to play and need to win at least five for a chance at the playoffs. Bottom line: they need to beat the Lions this week and there is no reason why they shouldn't. The Giants' defense needs to come out just as strong as they have been doing, however Kurt Warner needs to do a better job in the red zone. Instead of relying on the run, he needs to become more comfortable going to Toomer and Shockey for the sideline catches in the end zone; a comfort that I feel will come as the season progresses. Also, for the Giants to have any playoff hopes, they need to beat the teams they should, so they don't have to pull miracles against the teams that are on the same hot, or hotter, streaks. After Detroit, the Giants will play five of the last ten games against teams, currently, with losing records. Only time will tell if there is at least a seventeen game season in store for the Giants.