Here are a few of head coach Tom Coughlin's remarks as the New York Giants gathered in Albany for the first time this season on Thursday. [Full Transcript]
On his message for the season ...
"The message is one of improvement. It’s one of taking full advantage of setting the bar, and what we were able to do in the last six games of the year, and analyzing the previous 14 to the last six, and saying to ourselves, ‘Which team are we here?’ The quality in which we played. The things that I’ve mentioned the whole offseason, 14 points a game, 1 turnover, big special teams plays. Those have really established the team we can be. An awful lot of emphasis is on improvement. We certainly want to continue with ‘All In,’ and ‘Finish,’ but we’d also like to come out of the starting gate and sustain, and then we’d like to finish. We would like to establish the kind of consistency that we think we’re capable of playing with."
On whether he thinks the team already gets the message ...
"They’ve all said as much. The fact that we did so well in the final six games. The fact we played so well in the fourth quarter. The fact we did so many good things on defense in the playoffs. But when you pull out, as we do, the worst to best each year, and you look at the top, the real list of what we didn’t do well, that’s what we have to impress on our team in terms of what has got to be improved upon. Because the comparison between the last six and the first 14, you kind of just shake your head."
Injury Updates
- Coughlin said the Giants are "going to have to be careful" with starting left tackle Will Beatty and his troublesome back.
- The coach said Chris Canty's recovery from offseason knee surgery is "going to take a little while."
- Coughlin said Hakeem Nicks [broken foot] has had no setbacks, still can't run.