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New York Giants' coach Tom Coughlin didn't want to hear on Monday about the season being over for his 4-7 team.
"It’s not going to be over until the five games are over. The one thing that all of you would like to try to figure into this is you don’t have anything to play for. We’ve got a lot to play for. We have a five-game schedule. We’re playing against some outstanding football teams. We’re trying to assert ourselves," Coughlin said. "We’re not executing as well as we can and in all three phases at the same time, for sure. I’m looking for that. I’m always searching for perfection, the perfect game. We can’t get it, perhaps, because we’re human, but that’s the objective and that’s the goal and that’s what we’ll continue to fight for. It is the competitive nature of the player, of the coach and that’s where we are."
Coughlin was asked if he was surprised when it turned out that wide receiver Hakeem Nicks could not play.
"Because on Wednesday, as you’ve tracked it, he had an issue with the abdominal area. He thought it might have been a hernia. So he went through all the tests and then did not practice, was not able to practice. You asked me the question late in the week and I answer ‘what would be the issue?’ ‘Speed. He probably can’t be full speed,’ " Coughlin said.
Coughlin said he was unaware last week of some of the trash talk that came from his team, guaranteeing victory and talking about spilling blood on the field. He found out about it on Monday, and wasn't happy about.
" ‘Talk is cheap, play the game' is my policy and I, quite frankly, was unaware of the two that were made and people made a big deal about that. I don't believe in that stuff. I think you play the game. Talk is cheap. Play the game," Coughlin said. "I don't see anything that gets accomplished by the verbalization part of it. We've never been a team that has been one to provide bulletin board material. I understand there was a little bit of that last week and I don't believe in any of that. As a matter of fact, I speak out very strongly against it."
Coughlin was also unhappy with the 11 penalties the Giants incurred, 12 if you include one that was declined.
"You're not going to win a tight football game against two teams competing and playing very hard when you have that kind of actual disregard for the rules and what have you," Coughlin said. "So I was upset with that and we talked about that in our meeting today. You've got to have poise."