The Brooklyn Trolley Blogger: N.Y. Giants: Tom Coughlin Will Return For A 12th Season

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

N.Y. Giants: Tom Coughlin Will Return For A 12th Season

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

Colonel Coughlin Will Return!

NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL: Perry Fewell Leading Candidate To Receive Pink Slip; Tom Quinn May Follow.

The Giants have been to the playoffs five times under Tom Coughlin, but not since 2011. In fact, this year marked the 6th time they have failed to make the playoffs in Coughlin's 11 years as head coach.

The era is now officially sandwiched by 6-10 records. In 2004, the Giants launched with a 6-10 record in Coughlin's first season. With last Sunday's loss to the Eagles, they matched it.

This was also their second straight losing season, and now sport a 22-26 record since winning Super Bowl XLVI.

Was Tom Coughlin the reason for the Giants inconsistent play these last few years?

If Tiki Barber were still around, he'd still be whining how Coughlin repeatedly gets out-coached. Well, he's not around, and that's really not the Giants case. That is why Monday morning ownership announced Tom Coughlin will be back next season (coaching in the final season of his contract that is).

For 2015, it's the right move. The Giants usually get this right, so, we'll cross the 2016 bridge when we get to it. However, for some of Colonel Coughlin's lieutenants, it may prove a bridge too far.

As defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell's defense routinely ranks towards the bottom of the NFL. Their run defense should be nicknamed the Alaskan Pass, because of the six months of daylight they provide, while their confusion in the secondary often makes them look like a Keystone Cops casting call.

This season was no different. Despite injuries, there was enough talent to at least get a more representative showing from week to week. The real problem lies with Fewell's style itself; it's overly complicated and clearly ineffective. We've known this for years.

Sure, he earned some credit for limiting Tom Brady and helping win a Super Bowl. But, Aaron Ross and Corey Webster threw their coach under the bus, admitting things didn't change until Fewell abandoned his failed system in time for the (2011) playoffs.

I'll say this for Perry Fewell, he's been persistent (stubborn) with regards to that dumb layered system no one can figure out. Alas, he spent his credit..., and now it's time for him to go.

Special teams coach Tom Quinn is also reportedly on the hot seat, and for good reason. Like Fewell, Quinn's dismissal has been several years in the making. For at least the last two seasons, his units have either been inconsequential, or guilty of too many questionable performances. The loss of David Wilson certainly hindered the Giants return game. And to his credit, Tom Quinn has been here for both Super Bowls. I'd give him one more season, but then his assistant Larry Izzo must pay the price for him.

Who Else Should Get Big Blue Pink Slips And Who Should Stay:

While I'm still a little ambivalent regarding Ben McAdoo, the organization thinks highly of him, so, he's obviously safe.

I think Danny Langsdorf is Eli Manning's 4th QB coach? His 3rd at least.... but at this point in Eli's career, that shouldn't matter much. Eli otherwise actually had a very good season in Ben McAdoo's system, with Langsdorf coaching him on the side. Danny worked with Drew Brees in his previous gig with New Orleans. (Drew Brees and the Saints sucked this season. Just saying....)

I've been rough on guys like Rueben Randle and Preston Parker. But Wide Receivers coach Sean Ryan still managed to at least get improvement out of Randle. And, as talented as Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be, a 21-year old rookie still needs a good coach teaching him. Sean Ryan also oversaw the emergence of the salsa dancer Victor Cruz. Truth is, Eli Manning has benefited from a quality list of receivers ever since Ryan took over as coach in 2005. In recent years though, the deeper the Giants dipped into their depth, the more tipped balls and blown routes we witnessed, which also coincided with Eli's escalating rate of interceptions.

Kevin Gilbride Jr. is a harder coach to rate. The tight ends coach hasn't had much to work with lately. Second year Larry Donnell hasn't been featured much ever since his hat trick early in the season. You could say Martellus Bennett had a good season under Gilbride. Otherwise, there's not much to point at in his 5-year body of work, but nothing much to criticize either.

Pat Flaherty has served as the offensive line coach for all Tom Coughlin's 11 seasons. In my opinion, he is a fine coach. Any criticisms regarding the offensive line should be redirected at Jerry Reese; this is his mess to figure out. And you might as well include running backs coach Craig Johnson into this mess as well.

On the other side of the ball, if Perry Fewell is on the hot seat, then defensive line coach Robert Nunn should be starting to sweat as well. Over his six years, he's endured the departures of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Barry Cofield, etc. But, simply put, this year's defensive line anchored by JPP (who's late season surge doesn't sway me) and Cullen Jenkins played atrociously. They did so because of poor technique and attention to detail, over-pursuit, failure to contain, and other coaching related issues. Time has depleted this unit, but this coach brings nothing to the table.

Jim Herrmann is the linebackers coach, and perhaps the most inconsequential coach of the bunch. Jerry Reese's treatment of the position makes this so. At the same time, Jim Herrmann has largely failed to inspire guys like Michael Boley, Jonathan Goff, Mathias Kiwanuka, Jacquian Williams, Kieth Rivers, Spencer Paysinger, etc., to higher levels of play. They almost had a keeper with the now defunct Jon Beason, but rookie Devon Kennard actually looks like a real deal linebacker.

Coaches Peter Giunta (corners) and Dave Merritt (safeties) are okay in my book. Like Pat Flaherty and Sean Ryan, they've been here for both Super Bowl runs. What issues I have with the secondary largely revolve around Perry Fewell's system.

Coaches that should be given a Big Blue boot: