ReutersGiants coach Tom Coughlin usually plays things close to the vest, but he allowed himself to get a little boastful after punching a ticket to the NFC Championship Game with a big upset at Green Bay.
Coughlin said after the game that he loves the position his team is now in, with a game at San Francisco Sunday and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
“I think we’re a dangerous team,” Coughlin said. “I like where we are.”
Of course, not everything about the win over the Packers made Coughlin happy. Coughlin wasn’t too hard on the officials after the game, but he clearly wasn’t pleased with a bogus roughing the passer call on Osi Umenyiora for hitting Aaron Rodgers in the head when he had done no such thing. And Coughlin challenged what should have been a Greg Jennings fumble only to have referee Bill Leavy inexplicably let the Packers keep the ball, and between that and a huge call that went against the Giants in the regular season against the Packers, Coughlin said he doesn’t know what he has to do to get a replay review to go his way.
“We must be what, 0-for-100 by now?” Coughlin said.
Officiating went against the Giants on Sunday, but just about everything else went for them. Coughlin is right: If they keep playing that way, the Giants are dangerous.
they certainly are,that d line is incredible
The officiating was so one-sided it was disgraceful, yet the Giants STILL won.
The refs enter into games with ‘expectations’. And when they’re not met, like Rodgers not leading the Packers to a touchdown, then they fix that cognitive dissonance with the whistle. It’s human nature, and I’m not sure how you handle it.
no pack no!
ha ha!
This playoff run makes you wonder what the hell they do during the regular season. Twice in 4 years they barely get into the playoffs and then look like the best team in the NFL.
Maybe this late season run will finally stop those yearly “Coughlin on the hot-seat; Cowher to New York” rumors. He should have been fired nearly a dozen times by now if any of the constant speculation had legs.
Three awful, awful calls and they still pounded the world champs by 17. That qualifies as dangerous.
This weekend was a prime example of the conspiracy to get the most marketable teams as far along as possible. The Saints did not have ONE penalty called on them and anyone who watched the Giants/Packers game had to have been screaming at their TV’s at the missed calls against the Packers. The NFL cannot hide from this mistake and they need to hire full time officials now.
So many bad calls this year. The NFL needs to find a way to improve the officiating.
The Giants outplayed the Packers and even the refs could not change that. But for anyone to think that the poor calls were an anomally for a GB opponent, just pull out the game tape of the Packers-Lions on January 1. There was an abnormally high number of dubious calls against Detroit in that game too, including uncalled TD’s, imaginary fumbles and even a muff punt that inexplicably went uncalled against Jordy Nelson.
Yesterday’s Ref needs to be investigated or fired. You can’t botch a play like that in a playoff game.
What’s work where Peyton got brains it appears Eli got luck..king of the heave holucky catches
factoryofsadness says: Jan 16, 2012 7:37 AM
Yeah Coughlin, your team is soooooo great. Give me a break!!!! One lucky performance. You have no chance against the Saints. Sorry buddy, but you’ll be out of work in a week. See ya!
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Apparently you missed it, but the Saints lost to the 49ers. The Giants play the 49ers next week.
Some horrible calls in this game, no doubt. Glad the G-men were able to overcome the zebras.
-Brett Favre was spotted doing the jig after the Packers defeat. (A true Lambeau legend)
-Tiki Barber was flabbergasted to see the Giants go to another NFC championship game without him.
-Peyton Manning is doubling up on neck therapy massages this week.
There goes the “experts” theory on offenses without a good/great run game. I’ll take a great defense with a run game over a great passing offense in January every time. Also, as I have been saying all year long, teams with a great defense and run game consistently not only make the playoffs. They win in the playoffs.
Don’t be surprised if the Ravens beat the Patriots. Ray Rice is going to have a good game. The Ravens need a couple of sacks early. Brady is a completely different QB if he’s facing a pass rush and fills some pain.
This the same team that couldn’t beat Vince Young?
I’m trying my best to look at the game from a different perspective because I’m a Giants fan, but last night I was almost fully convinced that either football is rigged or that certain players, actually just Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, are shown favoritism. Although I am not a fan of the sport, I know hockey is doing the same thing for their two poster children Crosby and Ovechkin. All I thought about is what if the bad calls decided the game. Then what?
Coughlin is a a decent regular season coach but an absolute brilliant playoff coach. Anyone who doesnt think Coughlin is worth keeping around is stupid because a coach that can coach like that in the postseason is very very rare.
its going to be brady vs eli part 2
factoryofsadness says:
Jan 16, 2012 7:37 AM
Yeah Coughlin, your team is soooooo great. Give me a break!!!! One lucky performance. You have no chance against the Saints. Sorry buddy, but you’ll be out of work in a week. See ya!
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Always has to be one DBag on every ProFootballTalk post.
One lucky win? I would call it an unlucky win since every possible call went against Coughlin, yet he still prevailed? Yes, lets fire him.
Niners seem to be the team of destiny this year, and Candleswamp seems to be jinxed for the g men.
All of the NFL owners who want to fire coaches almost as a whim should follow what the Giants do.
Coughlin was rumored to be fired every other year but the Giants have stuck with him. He is a very strict guy but his players like his “tough love” and they know he’s a winner.
Cowher will have to look elsewhere for a job.
Great job by Eli yesterday, his accuracy is sick right now
Keep the eye on the prize. Don’t talk. Just play. And for you refs out there. Awful is the only way to sum up yesterday.
Sorry Roger, you don’t get to schedule the Superbowl matchup YOU prefer.
Next time, don’t be so blatant about manufacturing the outcome of a game.
they certainly are,that d line is incredible
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They sure looked great, but come Sunday they will be the second best defence on the field.
oh come on … I wanted to make fun of the kid who said the Saints will beat the Giants next week ….
Bill Leavy clearly is anti- Giant and anti-intelligent. He should be fined for that day of work. The NFL was embarrassed.
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giants > ref FIX
Danny Ware 100% had the first down.
Rodgers hit his head into Tucks chest.
Jennings fumbled.
Although I dispise Eli and the Giants, Tom is right. They are a dangerous team even with the refs against them.
Even though I’m a Redskins fan, I have to say watching this Giants team in the playoffs has been very entertaining (I am also a little depressed watching them draft D-lineman after D-lineman that tears people up… seriously, Pierre-Paul was a LUXURY draft pick that was considered a bit of a project… that guy is a beast). They are reminding me a lot of the Giants Super Bowl team of a few years ago, but with a bit of a better offense.
The only thing that makes me cringe… the farther they go in the playoffs… the more likely Brandon “Fast-Ass Car” Jacobs is going to feel entitled to run his mouth. Seriously, are Giants fans not embarrassed when that guy talks?
I’m not too worried about the refs next week, the NFL didn’t get either team it wanted in the Championship game, so they won’t care about giving the Giants or 49ers an advantage.
I’m thrilled with the matchup. Two teams playing good defense outdoors. That’s the NFL.
Coughlin isn’t boasting. He’s stating a fact.
They are the most balanced team left in the playoffs. They are strong on both sides of the ball. SF and Baltimore still struggle on offense and the Patriots are not a good defensive team. I’m a Patriots fan and there is no way I feel confident going up against the Giants.
adlent says:
Jan 16, 2012 8:27 AM
Even though I’m a Redskins fan, I have to say watching this Giants team in the playoffs has been very entertaining (I am also a little depressed watching them draft D-lineman after D-lineman that tears people up… seriously, Pierre-Paul was a LUXURY draft pick that was considered a bit of a project… that guy is a beast). They are reminding me a lot of the Giants Super Bowl team of a few years ago, but with a bit of a better offense.
The only thing that makes me cringe… the farther they go in the playoffs… the more likely Brandon “Fast-Ass Car” Jacobs is going to feel entitled to run his mouth. Seriously, are Giants fans not embarrassed when that guy talks?
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I would be embarrassed to publicly state that I am a Deadskin fan. Jacobs is just is a player, how can Deadskin fans not be embarrassed every time your owner, Danny Boy Snyder, opens up his mouth or meddles with your “pro football” personel.
Can someone please as rex ryan who the premiere ny football team is.
Giants have been winning lately, not just luck. I’m an Eagles fan , but in the playoffs, I say Go Giants!
If the packers would have won due in large part to those 2 bad calls there would a whole lot of ticked off people out there today. The bottom line is I, like so many other fans, want the best team to win. Not the team that the refs want to win.
Easy to admire a complete team….Impact D, pro offense….air and land. Easily the most complete team left standing. Question remains….will complete trump dominant D?
The reffing was horrible, there is no doubt. I will defend the roughing the passer play, though. Umenyiora’s helmet made contact with the back of Rodgers’ helmet as he was making the tackle. By the letter of the law, that is a penalty. We can debate if it should be a penalty, and I would probably agree it should not be. But I have seen worse roughing the passer calls. Seems everyone is getting caught up in all the other bad calls and lumping that one in there.
I’m suprised if Rodgers even needs to wipe himself if he used the Ref’s bathroom.
I would be embarrassed to publicly state that I am a Deadskin fan. Jacobs is just is a player, how can Deadskin fans not be embarrassed every time your owner, Danny Boy Snyder, opens up his mouth or meddles with your “pro football” personel.
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While I have no problem admitting my team has mostly sucked for 20 years, I can’t help where I was born and at least I’m not a bandwagon fan who jumps on the first winning team I see and makes them “my team.” And a least I’m not a DC area Cowboys fan… shudder.
As for your actual comment, when is the last time Snyder has actually said anything? Usually, our embarrassment with Snyder has nothing to do with what he says to the media, because he rarely talks. He is no Irsay tweeting, or Jerry Jones commenting after every unconverted third down. His embarrassing moves are generally restricted to fostering an environment where we make bad personnel decisions — and he has very largely stepped back in the last two years. I will at least give him credit for being willing to spend money and bring in free agents… even if he has historically spent it poorly.
And yes… Jacobs is a player, but maybe before he opens his mouth he could do something useful on the field.
As an Eagles fan, i hate the Giants, but the calls in that game were so one sided it was laughable. I’m never glad when they win, espically a playoff game, and the NFL did their best to screw them, but the better team still prevailed….Everyone expected a Saints/Pack NFC championship game, with an NBA all star game type scoring, but we get the Niners/Giants, in a defensive knock the snot of their opponent type game….Real football…..Not GODells, “don’t hurt anybody” version…..
No, that roughing the passer call was asinine too. If any helmet touched, it was rodgers’ helmet hitting osi’s helmet due to his head popping back. But the refs shamelessly called the penalty, not concerned with the facts because they had a game to win for the packers. I’m sure it all will be swept under this week’s fines, highlights, and nfl shield propaganda.
I’m gonna go puke again now
cshearing says: Jan 16, 2012 8:49 AM
The reffing was horrible, there is no doubt. I will defend the roughing the passer play, though. Umenyiora’s helmet made contact with the back of Rodgers’ helmet as he was making the tackle. By the letter of the law, that is a penalty. We can debate if it should be a penalty, and I would probably agree it should not be. But I have seen worse roughing the passer calls. Seems everyone is getting caught up in all the other bad calls and lumping that one in there.
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You clearly have no clue what you are talking about. Their helmets touched as he was going down. If there were flags for helmets grazing each other, the game would be about 6 hours long because there would be flags on every single down. That is not the “letter of the law”. Go get a clue.
The officiating was atrocious. The Jennings fumble. The Osi personal foul. The spot on Ware’s first down run was marked at least a yard behind where he actually came down. And on and on…
Giants – 37, Refs – 14, Packers – 6
Sick and tired of the pro-Packer bias. It’s insulting.
It’s no accident that the Packers were the least penalized team in the NFL this season (76 penalties against for 591 yards) AND their opponents were the second most (122 penalties for 948 yards – note: 123 penalties against was the most).
Do something about it NFL!
I’m just afraid Coughlin won’t be around to coach this team next year, not because he will be fired but because he will win the Super Bowl and call it an end to a brilliant coaching career and finish on top
j0esixpack says:Jan 16, 2012 8:39 AM
Coughlin isn’t boasting. He’s stating a fact.
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First, I could not agree more.
Second, funny how this sounds SO MUCH different than when Rex Ryan makes yet ANOTHER boast about his team. I believe Coughlin’s comment. I guess less is more Rexy.
Lastly, I have said this for week since the playoff picture clarified: As a Pats’ fan, the Giants scare me the most. They have a good offense with an outstanding QB, and their defense, although surprisingly near the bottom in points allowed this year (24th most points allowed, the lowest of any playoff team), can step up and really play at any given moment, and they clearly are doing just that.
With all the rule changes the NFL put in that allows the Ref to really call what ever they like and get away with it. With the purpose being to be able to nudge a game here or there as they want to nudge it, to put games together they think will be highest ratted and bring in the most dollars.
Why else do you think New England gets a 31st ratted NFL Schedule EVERY year to play during the regular season. You cannot make the mistakes the NFL did against the Giants in the quantity they did without it being deliberate.
What’s work where Peyton got brains it appears Eli got luck..king of the heave holucky catches
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Give me a break….Eli made TONS of good throws last night and he was by far the best QB on the field how bout a little credit. By the way after the G Men win the SB it will be Eli Manning > Peyton Manning!!!!
The Giants deserved to win, the Packers deserved to loose. There is no room for sloppy play at this point.
Next weekends game against the Niners should be a slobberknocker! (is that how you spell it?).
I have to agree with Coughlin. I’ve been watching the Giants over the last month and as a Pats fan, do NOT like how things are looking. They are dangerous. They’re just getting after it.
Eli is playing out of his mind…but what really intrigues me about how he plays…he seems to just huck the ball to spot…and somehow his receivers make the most amazing catches. Brady, Brees, and Rodgers throw to the receiver…and lets them get the yards. Eli just heaves it up there to a spot…well before the WR is even there. It’s uncanny. If someone could play some aggresive man to man on them and bang the WRs around, it could cause issues for the Giants.
Some of my fellow Pats fans are eager for a rematch…I am not. Based on how the Giants are dominating in all phases, they’ve got to be considered the hot hand. And yeah…what DO they do during the regular season to lose so much? I can’t imagine Coughlin is doing or saying anything different in Week 17 and on versus Week 1-16.
Wayne Weaver , The former owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars has publicly stated his biggest mistake was firing Tom Coughlin after the 2002 season. With a team full of castoffs and scrubs he still managed to get to a 6-10 record and was in the process of rebuilding this team into the powerhouse it was in the late 1990′s. If he would have told Tom he had to give up being both GM and coach and focus only on coaching I firmly believe there would be a Lombardy trophy in Jacksonville. But the ” Gator ” media led by a local radio host David Lamm got this fine man ran out of town. So what does he do ? He took the same coaching staff he had here in Jacksonville, Added Sprags to run the defense and wins a Super bowl and I believe he is on the cusp of doing it again, It will be a repeat of the 2007 game against the cheating azz patriots and he will again walk away with the win. Tom Coughlin will be in the hall of fame someday, guaranteed.
Horrible, Horrible officiating in both this game and the niners saints game. How do the saints pass for over 100 times against detroit and the niners and not get called for holding once. or a false start. The saints didnt have one penalty call on saturday at candlestick. and they still got hosed. Looks like defense wins championships and also beats the refs.
Let’s go Niners! We’ll see you Giants in San Francisco on Sunday. It should be another classic. May the best team win!
@redrew How are the Giants more of a complete team then the Niners? You must be a Giants fan. The Giants did a great job against the Packers, but the 49ers are a whole other element. I wouldn’t be too loose with calling the Giants the most complete team left. To me that is a joke.
Lol at giants fans thinking the D is good. It’s been 2 games, your D wasn’t top 10 statistically this year. Keep sleeping on the niners folks, it will make Sunday a whole lot easier.
“cshearing says: Jan 16, 2012 8:49 AM
Umenyiora’s helmet made contact with the back of Rodgers’ helmet as he was making the tackle. By the letter of the law, that is a penalty.”
First, Just barely (for those at home, Osi’s earhole makes slight contact with the stripe on the back of Rodgers’s helmet) and only after Osi had already wrapped up Rodgers.
Second, thats not the rule. The rules is as follows “Referees will be particularly alert to fouls in which defenders impermissibly use the helmet and/or facemask to hit the passer, or use hands, arms, or other parts of the body to hit the passer forcibly in the head or neck area (see also the other unnecessary-roughness rules covering these subjects).”. Osi does not forcibly hit Rodgers in the head.
Third, on an earlier pass to Jake Ballard, Bishop takes 3 steps and hits Eli helmet to helmet. No call from Levy (even Mike Pereira said it should have been called). So Leavy was using 2 standards.
Fourth, it was another crap call.
The Giants simply executed better with the ball and made fewer mistakes than the Packers did yesterday.
Two more things to chew on: Five of the last six Super Bowls (all except XLIV) involved a #3 or lower seed – and four of those five (all except Arizona in XLIII) were won by the #3 or lower seed. One of those was, of course, the Giants in XLII.
The Giants ARE dangerous.
I love how people have referee conspiracy theories for the SMALLEST market in the country beating the BIGGEST. Makes a lot of sense. Yeah, the fix is on for the Packers….last thing the NFL wants is a Super Bowl with teams from NY, SF, Boston or Baltimore….sniff glue much?
Please..The Packers were emotionally depleted because of that tragedy. They were not the same….period.
notrelated says:
Jan 16, 2012 8:01 AM
This the same team that couldn’t beat Vince Young?
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Same roster, but not the same team.
They are playing with far more desire, physicality and intelligence than when they took field against the Eagles. Every player is going beyond expectations to win for the TEAM.
Their change in mindset is being witnessed by their 4 recent quality wins and success.
So your attempt at sarcasm is a fail, try again.
@redrew How are the Giants more of a complete team then the Niners? You must be a Giants fan. The Giants did a great job against the Packers, but the 49ers are a whole other element. I wouldn’t be too loose with calling the Giants the most complete team left. To me that is a joke.
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Really bro? You think the 49ers are close to as complete a team as the NYG? You think that Alex Smith/Crabtree/Ginn are even in the same universe as Eli/ Nicks/Cruz? Also your defense just gave up more points in your 1 playoff game than the Giants defense has given up in both there games vs 2 of the top offenses in the NFL.. Giants by 20, Book it
Just to make it clear – I am a niner fan.
However, fellow niner fans – do not take this game lightly or make derogatory statements about the Giants. They are for real and the game will be a good one.
Time to hire 16 full-time NFL Officals as crew chiefs, put them in the booth, handle all challenges directly. Save time and aggravation with refs going under the hood.
factoryofsadness says: Jan 16, 2012 7:37 AM
Yeah Coughlin, your team is soooooo great. Give me a break!!!! One lucky performance. You have no chance against the Saints. Sorry buddy, but you’ll be out of work in a week. See ya!
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bahahahahahaha!!! allow me to explain the playoffs to factoryofsadness. once your team loses, such as the saints did on saturday, they do not get to play again until next september. meanwhile, the giants will be playing again this weekend. just keep following along, you’ll learn
giants vs 49ers = classic football.
saints vs packers = rigged call after rigged call and shoot out style of football where there might as well be no defense.
That game was one of the worst officiated playoff games ever! There was that fumble that was ruled not a fumble that led to a GB touchdown. That helmet to helmet hit that wasn’t that gave GB a first down. There was a bad ball spot on 3rd down that should have been a Giants first down but Gmen had to punt instead of getting the first down. And, at the end of the game, it didn’t really matter but GB fumbled on the play at the 2 min warning but the refs said the runner was down. These officials should never work together again and the head official should be demoted.
rugdaniels says: Jan 16, 2012 8:31 AM
I’m not too worried about the refs next week, the NFL didn’t get either team it wanted in the Championship game, so they won’t care about giving the Giants or 49ers an advantage.
I’m thrilled with the matchup. Two teams playing good defense outdoors. That’s the NFL.
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Not so sure about that. Niners always get dissed from the league & media with East coast bias and Brady is the Golden Boy. My guess is they would love to see Eli vs Brady II but I’m rooting for Harbowl II.
To all the Niner and Pats fans wondering why the Giants defense was so poor during the season and is so much better now – THEY WERE HURT. NO NFC team had more injuries this season than the Giants. Period. Critical players and even role players are finally off the exercise bicycles and back on the field. You are seeing the Giants defense that you would have seen all season long if there had not be so many injuries. And, as you can see, if they had all those guys healthy, their defense would have ranked considerably higher. Probably not number one, I won’t exaggerate, but certainly in the top ten.
Giants fans, welcome to Raider officiating. You’ll get numb to it and actually expect it to happen every game, in say, 25 years of having it happen to you.
Great game your boys played yesterday.
Interesting matchups we have this coming weekend. We could potetially see a rematch of ’07 Superbowl (Pats/Giants) or ’00 (Ravens/Giants).
There is all the usual talk about defense wins championships. Generally true, as a Pats fan I’m aware that since we went from a tough defense / efficient offense to an offensive based team, we haven’t had much post season success…our 1 SB appearance was a loss to NYG. That said, you do have to score SOME points…Flacco’s output against Houston won’t cut it in NE. And even the Ravens D won’t shut Brady completely down. Brady production at 80%, or even 60%, is better than Flacco.
the giants are’nt that good,they are more lucky than anything! green bay had 1 bad game all season until yesterday,when they could not have hit water had they fallen out of a boat! the only team and organization that benefitted from the death of coach philbin’s son yesterday was the giants! the packers were all just too heartbroken to play yesterday,and rightfully so!
Eli’s temperament must be perfect for playoffs. To have such injustice inflicted on you in that game and not have the team just implode says so much about the whole coaching staff and the leaders on the field.
I was losing it in all honesty. But Eli just kept throwing, his guys just kept running their routes and the defense just kept coming.
With the officiating considered that was one of the most impressive playoff wins in history. If only the pack had actually made a game of it.
Eli is moving into some pretty rare air with his play and his body of work.