Giants' Recent Performances Give Coach Tom Coughlin the Blues

Little has gone right for the Giants in the two weeks since they kicked off New Meadowlands Stadium against the Jets two weeks ago. Quarterback Eli Manning, receiver Steve Smith, tight end Kevin Boss, running back Brandon Jacobs, tackle Kareem McKenzie, center Shaun O'Hara, guards Rich Seubert and Chris Snee, defensive tackle Chris Canty, linebacker Keith Bulluck and cornerbacks Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster have all missed at least one game.

After trailing 10-7 before all the regulars were pulled, New York lost at home to Pittsburgh 24-17 on Aug. 21. A week later at Baltimore, the Giants were pounded 24-10. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco carved up a secondary missing Thomas and nickel corner Aaron Ross, for 229 yards and two touchdowns in staking his team to a 17-3 halftime lead. When the starters were in the game, the Giants were outgained 243-110 and had only five first downs to Baltimore's 17.

"I'm disappointed in our play," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Some people played well, played hard. We just didn't have enough. I was looking for more energy, more ... execution, which obviously we didn't get. There's no excuse for it. We never stopped them. We really didn't consistently pressure the quarterback. They isolated our corners out there and they beat us. There's not a real sophisticated explanation for it. We need to see a lot out of this group in the next 15 days."

Coughlin wasn't any happier the day after, saying, "I expected more. There's effort and then there's the kind of intensity that a guy brings to the table when you're playing to solidify your team and your circumstance. I hope that there's an experience of learning here and those who are well aware of the difference between what happens in a regular season game and a preseason game and why there is so much significance attached to the third game (in which the starters see the most action of the summer)."

No other NFC team made the playoffs in four of the past five years, but that won't make Coughin smile. The only coach who can top him for grumpiness is Bill Belichick, whose New England Patriots visit the Giants in Thursday's preseason finale.

Those Giants staff meetings must have been a hoot when Coughlin and Belichick were assistants together under Bill Parcells from 1988-90.

While Manning isn't nearly as concerned as his coach about the direction in which the Giants, losers in eight of their final 11 games in 2009, are headed, defensive tackle Barry Cofield might have hit the best note.

"Football is a game of momentum," Cofield said. "(The Ravens) had it and they were at home. That's why it seemed like they were at a party and we were at a funeral."

Of course, Coughlin has the George Allen-esque ability to make a preseason defeat seem like death.