Giants Q&A: Anybody second-guessing Tom Coughlin?
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin reacts during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles. (Oct. 6, 2013) Credit: AP
A week ago Victor Cruz foolishly questioned one of Tom Coughlin's decisions. Any coaching choices under the microscope this week?
Plenty. There was the decision not to decline a holding penalty on third down in the first quarter and give the Eagles another shot at converting (they did), and then the mismanagement when the Giants challenged a reception by LeSean McCoy in the third quarter, burning a timeout before tossing the red flag. When the play was not overturned, it cost the Giants two timeouts with nothing gained.
What was Coughlin's explanation?
On the penalty he accepted, Coughlin said "there was no question in our minds'' that Chip Kelly would have gone for it on fourth-and-3 from just over midfield. On third-and-19, Michael Vick ran 34 yards for a first down and then some to help set up a field goal that made it 7-3.
As for the challenge debacle, Coughlin said he was trying to settle things on the field -- the Giants had only 10 men lined up on defense with the Eagles ready to snap the ball -- and didn't get the go-ahead to challenge from the coaches upstairs until after the timeout. Replays seemed to show that McCoy was juggling the ball on the sideline, but the play certainly was close enough to be reviewed, and Coughlin could have just thrown the flag without the blessing of the staff to stop the clock. "I just put that on myself,'' Coughlin said. "I just instinctively took a timeout.''
How is David Wilson?
He was happy for a while. After scoring his first touchdown of the season, he did not one but two backflips. But later in the first quarter, he laid out for a pass and injured his neck, losing feeling in his right hand. He still was flexing that hand after his next carry, a loss of 2 yards that nearly resulted in a safety, and he was removed from the game. He returned to the sideline in uniform but was redirected back to the locker room by the team's medical staff and did not play another snap.
So who was the Giants' running back?
Good ol' Brandon Jacobs, who has been climbing the depth chart since his return to the team in Week 2. He wound up with 11 carries for 37 yards and, if Wilson cannot make the quick turnaround for Thursday's game, could start against the Bears. The only other running back on the roster is rookie Michael Cox, who has yet to take an offensive snap.
Could the Giants benefit from a quick turnaround before heading to Chicago?
"That might be a good thing,'' Justin Tuck said. "I hope so. We have to find a way to get this game out of our loin here and find a way to get our spirits back up to go out and face a good Bears team.''
How popular has the salsa become?
Apparently it's the latest rage, especially among Giants opponents. For the second straight week, one of them mocked Victor Cruz's signature celebration after scoring a back-breaking touchdown against the Giants. This time it was DeSean Jackson, whose touchdown made it 36-21 in the fourth quarter. Jackson appeared to kick the dance to the curb after his imitation. Last week, the Chiefs' Dexter McCluster danced a salsa after scoring on an 89-yard punt return in Kansas City.
