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Tom Coughlin: Winning makes corrections easier

Coughlin spoke to the media Tuesday, wrapping up the victory over Minnesota and turning his attention toward the Philadelphia Eagles.

By Ed Valentine
The Star-Ledger-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants' head coach Tom Coughlin said Tuesday that it is "much easier" to make corrections after a win. Of course, Coughlin is now getting to do that this week for the first time this season after six season-opening losses.

"You can complement and then you can correct. The compliments go along with the objective, which is winning, and then you can go into the details of how you are going to improve and what needs to happen in order to improve," Coughlin said. "I think the atmosphere which you present those things is always much more greatly received when you're coming off of a win."

With an NFC East game looming against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, and a short week to prepare, Coughlin was already turning the page.

"It was fun to win and I think the team responded very, very well. We play hard. It wasn't perfect by any means. There were a lot of things that have got to be improved if we're going to go forward here, but I certainly was impressed by the way our defense played. If not for the punt return, there wouldn't have been a score. Lots of good things took place last night," Coughlin said. "We're excited and happy about winning, but quite frankly we're back to work and need to focus on a divisional game with Philadelphia."

First and foremost among those things that need improvement is the special teams, particularly punt return. The punt return touchdown the Giants gave up Monday was their third this season, the first time that has happened since 1959.

"We're disappointed in the majority of our special teams play, our coverage teams first and foremost. We have plenty of work to do," Coughlin said.

Here are some of the other things Coughlin spoke about Tuesday afternoon.

The online death threat received by running back Brandon Jacobs:

"We're all concerned about that type of thing. It has no business or no place in professional athletics, amateur athletics or whatever."

On the struggles of Hakeem Nicks, who dropped two passes Monday night:

"There certainly was a ball that was off his fingertips, which you talk about the ball being a little bit long or however you want to say it. He did a nice job of winning off the line of scrimmage there, but I'm sure Hakeem would be the first one to tell you that there were a couple of those balls he should have caught."

On the play of middle linebacker Jon Beason:

"He's a pro. He's a pro's pro. He's excited. He loves the game, he loves the competition. He's physical. When you listen to him you know there's confidence there. He is bright eyed, he's energetic. He's done a very nice job in a short amount of time."

On improvement from Jason Pierre-Paul:

"If you notice, we didn't have but one sack, but we did hit the quarterback a lot. Jason was certainly in the middle of that, as was really our front, our blitzers, our line backers. We came out of the secondary with Antrel and Will Hill, for example, and they got involved in there. I did think that we made steps forward."

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