Things are eerily quiet around the New York Giants these days.
No players are undermining the coaching staff by questioning the team's strategy.
No one is whining about Tom Coughlin having too many stupid rules.
No one is complaining when TC metes out discipline. There wasn't a peep when first-round pick Aaron Ross was benched for last Sunday's first half after an apparent curfew violation. Or, when practice squad member EJ Underwood was unceremoniously cut after blowing off a meeting.
No one is moaning to the press about playing time or not getting the ball enough, even Jeremy Shockey.
No media members have speculated lately about which big-name coach would be replacing Coughlin next season.
It's really amazing what a few victories can do. When it comes to the Giants, this kind of tranquility -- if you want to call it that -- is also sort of scary.
I can't remember a time during Coughlin's four-year tenure with the Giants where things around the Giants felt this ... this ... this ... peaceful. Even the last couple of seasons with Jim Fassel were more volatile than what we are currently witnessing.
I don't know quite what to make of it all. The Giants have played well three straight weeks, and the players and their coach seem to be on the same page. Coughlin begged his players to 'shut up and play,' and they have done that. He has also laid down the mantra of 'win the fourth quarter,' and the team has been doing that, too.
A bad loss or two and things can change quickly with the Giants. Chaos, though, can never be far away.
In fact, Monday night when they go to Atlanta to play the 1-4 Falcons, the Giants will have only to look across the field to find plenty of it.
In a post on Tuesday, Dave over at our fine Falcons blog, "The Falcoholic" called the team "an exploding ship."
The Falcons, of course, began the season being victimized by the Michael Vick dogfighting fiasco.
Now, they are 1-4 and seemingly coming apart at the seams.
They have witnessed a meltdown by DeAngelo Hall that led to an ugly sideline altercation with new coach Bobby Petrino and an eventual fine.
After last weekend's loss to Tennessee, veteran tight end Alge Crumpler went Tiki Blabber all over Petrino.
"If [the defense is playing] a cover-two and we've got Michael Jenkins running down the middle of the field, or myself running down the middle of the field, why aren't we getting opportunities to make plays?" Crumpler said. "That's what I've been doing my whole career. But I haven't caught the ball one time since this regime has been here, in practice or anything. So I'm scratching my head. I'm trusting, OK? I'm trusting. But 1-4 makes you think about a lot of things."
When the Giants look across the field Monday night they will see a reflection of what they were not very long ago.
Hopefully, they won't like the reminder. And, hopefully, they don't revert to old habits.