Tom Coughlin did not appreciate having anyone chime in when he was calling plays, so the Giants coach won’t be quick to interject his opinions on first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.
Nevertheless, if McAdoo — calling the plays for the first time in his life in a real, live NFL game — needs help Monday night in Detroit, Coughlin, says he is available.
But Coughlin doesn’t think it will come to that.
“I have been a play-caller,’’ Coughlin said Thursday, as the Giants started their preparation for the season opener against the Lions. “I’ll be honest with you, I never liked anybody interrupting me. Between series is the best time to visit to talk about that.’’
In other, words, this is McAdoo’s show, and Coughlin trusts him to do it.
McAdoo, 37, was hired away from the Packers. He served as tight ends coach then quarterbacks coach in Green Bay but never has been an offensive coordinator at any level, thus never has called the plays. The results were rocky this summer, with the starting offense often going nowhere in the five preseason games.
“Well, we are a work in progress, no doubt about it,’’ Coughlin said. “We have done some good things and we have done some bad things. Ben McAdoo is a solid, solid football coach that knows what he is talking about. Has an excellent system, applies himself every day, very smart. We are doing OK there.’’
Coughlin went out of his comfort zone hiring McAdoo, as he did not have any previous experience with him. McAdoo brought in his version of the West Coast offense, that was used in Green Bay under head coach Mike McCarthy, and Coughlin said there already is a clearly visible difference in what McAdoo holds in his hands on game day.
“You may have observed what he carries around on the sideline,’’ Coughlin said. “It looks like he needs help carrying it around. If it were me, I would have a sheet of paper in my back pocket, but this guy … any circumstance or situation that we have discussed or practiced or whatever, he is prepared.’’
Indeed, McAdoo’s play chart is bigger than most.
“I am just kidding about what he has,’’ Coughlin said. “What we prepare and what he has is a game plan card, which is a big card. Our cards in the past have been a bit smaller. Whether or not they are the same number of plays, it’s close. But he likes a big handy card because that is what he is used to, that is what coach McCarthy used in Green Bay. If he is comfortable with that, then so be it.’’
Mosty, Coughlin will allow McAdoo to do his job in his debut inside Ford Field.
“If I need to say something, I will,’’ Coughlin said. “Let’s put it that way.’’