NFL

Coughlin out to fix Giants after ‘upsetting’ performance

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HANG ON! Victor Cruz’s inability to hold on to the ball Wednesday night was only one of the issues coach Tom Coughlin (inset) will try to fix over the next week. (
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Last December, Tom Coughlin was viewed by many as a lame-duck head coach who had unfortunately slipped past his productivity.

With the Giants mired in the mediocrity of a 7-7 record and seemingly staggering straight to an empty offseason instead of a fruitful postseason, it looked like it might be time for a change.

Yet by February, Coughlin was one of the most celebrated sports figures in the city, riding shotgun in the victory parade up Broadway as the sage architect of the Giants’ stirring 6-0 closing run that included a second Super Bowl victory in four years.

So in June, Coughlin was awarded a three-year, $20 million contract extension, securing himself for life.

Now — just one game into the Giants’ Super Bowl defense, which really was no defense at all based on the lackluster buzz-kill evening they provided for their expectant fans in Wednesday night’s 24-17 loss to the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium — is when Coughlin must truly earn those extension dollars.

This is not to suggest panic should be permeating the team’s Timex Performance Center headquarters, but the warts that were on display in the loss to the Cowboys are the same unsightly blemishes that caused the Giants to be 7-7 the week before Christmas last year.

In yesterday’s aftermath, there was even talk — from Coughlin to his players — the Cowboys “wanted it more’’ than the Giants. This is always damning to all involved, starting with the head coach whose first calling is to prepare the players.

Then there was the revelation by Coughlin and some players that a couple of the practices last week leading into the game were poor — damning evidence of an unprepared team.

To the notion the same things that plagued the Giants during their struggles last year are the things that prevented them from winning Wednesday night, Coughlin said, “Alarming is probably a good word,’’ adding, “It’s upsetting that we would make the run that we did [last year] and come back with some of the same issues.’’

Coughlin was hard at work behind closed doors with his players yesterday attempting to manage the damage done the night before.

Linebacker Michael Boley described Coughlin’s demeanor in yesterday’s team meeting as “stern.’’

“His message to us was that we have to be better, that we have to focus more on the details, that our lack of focus on details is what hurt us,’’ Boley said.

Boley said he’s confident Coughlin will fix the problems, saying: “He does a good job, especially at a time like this, of getting us back to square one, getting us focused on things that are going to help us win. He keeps us in the box, so to speak.’’

Eli Manning said Coughlin told the players he “didn’t feel like we had great practices last week.’’

“He thought we got outplayed, that Dallas was more physical than us, that they outperformed us, that they wanted it more than us,’’ Manning said.

“I felt like they had more energy than we did, like the game meant more to them than it did us — and it shouldn’t be that way,’’ linebacker Chase Blackburn said.

Coughlin’s charge now as the Giants have 10 days to marinate in the loss before their next game (Sept. 16 against Tampa Bay at home) is to rediscover the formula that led to the 6-0 run last season and run away from what made them 7-7 before that.

“Coach is our mirror,” receiver Domenik Hixon said. “He’s going to be honest with us.”

“He shoots it straight,’’ right guard Chris Snee said. “He tells us what he sees and what we need to do and where we need to goHonesty is the best fix in this case.’’

If Coughlin is anything he is honest. He, too, is not one to run from accountability, which is an admirable trait, and he did not run and hide yesterday.

“I’m responsible for the losses,’’ Coughlin said. “Certainly, we’re looking hard at every aspect of this. There is a degree of accountability for everybody and it starts with me.’’