As the losses have piled up and the days go by, the issue of coach Tom Coughlin’s age is mentioned more and more frequently. His response lately has been to challenge anyone wondering whether at 67 he still can get the job done to show up at the Giants practice facility at 5 a.m. and see if they can keep up with him.
Clearly, this season has worn on Coughlin. Just as clearly, he has shown no sign he is thinking of doing anything in 2014 other than try to coach the Giants back into the playoffs.
Coughlin was asked on a conference call with Redskins media Tuesday whether he still has a passion for coaching after a season like this. The Giants are 6-9 heading into Sunday’s finale against the Redskins.
“Sure, absolutely,’’ Coughlin said. “I mean, probably even more because there are a lot of those that are telling you that you didn’t do very well and you’re not a very good coach and you’re not this and you’re not that, so perhaps you have something to prove.”
The thought of Coughlin entering a season taking things personally has to be intriguing to the Giants and their fans. Coughlin has been at the helm of two Super Bowl victories since 2007, so the “something to prove’’ angle is an interesting one. There are no signs or hints or even murmurs that Giants ownership is thinking of making a change at head coach. It is more likely Coughlin — whose contract runs through the 2014 season — will be given a one-year extension despite this dismal season, because the Giants do not believe in having a head coach enter a season on the last year of his contract.
As bad as the Giants have been this season, the Redskins have been much, much worse, shockingly so, considering they went 10-6 last season, using a late surge to win the NFC East title. Massive changes are likely coming, starting with coach Mike Shanahan, who is embroiled in controversy over his relationship with and handling of franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III, a battle Shanahan cannot win.
Asked about the importance of an organization having patience with its coaches and players, Coughlin knew the subject matter was the Redskins, but he brought up his own experiences with the Giants as evidence of his belief that continuity is vital.
“How important is it? It’s very important,’’ Coughlin said. “When I first came to the New York Giants as an assistant coach, I was extremely impressed by the philosophical feeling that [former Giants general manager] George Young and [Giants co-owners] Mr. [Wellington] Mara and Mr. [Bob] Tisch had about being able to put people in positions to do their job and support them. Once the winning started or whatever, it became a real part of the tradition of the franchise. The continuity is very important.”
That continuity almost certainly will continue with Coughlin returning for an 11th season as head coach of the Giants.
Josh Brown was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in large part for his 45-yard game-winning field goal in overtime in Detroit. Brown went 3 for 3, hitting from 41 and 52 yards before his winning kick.
Brown became the first kicker in Giants history with three field goals in a game of 40 yards or longer.