Coughlin keeps Giants calm, confident

There were no rousing speeches, no historical references that Tom Coughlin sometimes uses to get his players ready. There was just the straightforward analysis that the Giants coach prefers in the run-up to a big game.

In the days before Sunday's upset at Philadelphia, Coughlin was the same steadying influence, even in the face of a six-game losing streak to the Eagles, his longest to a rival as an NFL head coach.

"He's got a great attitude toward big games, because he treats every game the same," said Eli Manning, who threw four touchdown passes in the 29-16 win. It dramatically lifted the spirits of a team that had begun to worry that injuries and roster turnover would doom the season.

"You're going to go through bad stretches, so it's about keeping the team together and everybody staying confident, and [Coughlin] does a great job with that."

During his eight seasons leading the Giants, these are the moments when Coughlin has excelled. When chaos and controversy swirl, his no-nonsense style rubs off on players on game day. It doesn't always translate into victories -- as he learned last Dec. 19 against the Eagles, when the Giants blew a 31-10 fourth-quarter lead -- but the resilience that usually emerges from difficult games serves his team well.

Coughlin explained how his teams deal with rough situations: "There has to be something, somewhere that people rally around. You have to look for somebody to direct them. It's that whole deal of keeping your head when everybody around you is losing theirs. That's the position I take."

Last week, he said he was "well aware of what's taking place," referring to the unlikely chance of beating the Eagles and constant reminders of last year's collapse. "The players, the organization need a stable [place], somewhere they can go to feel good about, despite whatever circumstances we're in . . . to say, 'We're on schedule, we're going to be OK.' "

That may not always be the message you get on game day, when Coughlin's sideline rants have become a staple. But as Pro Bowl guard Chris Snee explained, it's what happens long before the games -- in the meeting rooms and on the practice field -- that matters most.

"When your leader is confident and calm -- well, you can't say calm, because he's red-faced as ever on the sideline -- but when he's confident in our team, regardless of the situation, regardless of the number of guys who are [injured], it makes us more confident," said Snee, who also happens to be Coughlin's son-in-law.

There have been other difficult situations in which Coughlin thrived. Go back to the 2006 season finale, when the Giants were in danger of missing the playoffs and his job was at stake. They beat the Redskins to reach the postseason.

During that offseason, Coughlin went through a rigorous self-evaluation, which even included discussions with a handful of media members (yours truly included) about how he could become more effective. He decided he needed to be more approachable to his players, and the Giants won the Super Bowl the next season.

Last year's late fold presented new challenges, and Coughlin's one-word theme -- "Finish" -- is now the reference point.

The one constant with Coughlin?

"It's preparation," guard David Diehl said. "Each and every week, we go through every single situation that can occur in a game. It's making guys aware of what's around, so that when it comes to a time where normally someone would panic in a game, you're calm because you know what to do."

Diehl, like many Giants, bristled at Coughlin's discipline early on, but eventually grew to understand its meaning.

"When he first came here [2004], I think guys were like, 'Why are we doing this stuff? This is crazy. There's a one-in-a-million chance of it happening.' But throughout the years since I've been here, it's amazing how many times those situations come up and we know how to react, how to respond."

With plenty of season left, a lot can happen, and there are no guarantees. But Coughlin's players like their chances, even if the consensus outside the locker room doesn't jibe with the belief instilled by their quietly confident coach.