Good morning, New York Giants' fans! There is plenty to talk about with the Giants these days, so let's look around and see what stories are making news today. We begin with a couple of links that are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of opinion about coach Tom Coughlin.
Must Reads
Tom Coughlin's New York Giants reign should come to an end | The MMQB with Peter King
Make no mistake, the Giants have grown stale under Coughlin. As they stumble home this season, at 5-9 and just two losses shy of the worst record in his decade in New York, I can’t help but think that Coughlin has already done his best work with one of the league’s flagship franchises—twice, in fact—and the odds are decidedly against him ever reaching that pinnacle again.
Keidel: Giants Have Many Problems, But Tom Coughlin Isn’t One Of Them " CBS New York
It’s just silly to assert that Coughlin has lost the locker room when only a handful of players are left from the team that won the Super Bowl six years ago.
Coughlin hasn’t forgotten how to coach. The Giants are ancient and injured. They have no running backs. They have a geriatric defensive line, an emaciated secondary, no linebackers of note, and a franchise quarterback who has thrown an appalling 25 interceptions.
New York Giants QB Eli Manning's not going anywhere - ESPN New York
I get it. People get upset. You give your heart and soul to your favorite team, and when they embarrass you, it hurts. It stings. It's tough to handle. When no other team in the entire league has been shut out all year and yours has been shut out twice, that's tough. When the NFL sets a single-day record for points scored, as it did Sunday, and your team scored none of them ... not a lot anyone can say. You should be upset, and it's not my job or anyone else's to tell you otherwise.
But the part of the New York Giants' fan reaction with which I feel compelled to take issue this Monday is the part that wants quarterback Eli Manning out of town. This is a short-sighted overreaction, neither realistic nor justified. And if you truly believe the Giants should or will move on from Manning after this season, you're going to be sorely disappointed.
In fact, it's pretty close to a certainty that the Giants this offseason will work out a contract extension with Manning that serves the dual purpose of lowering his 2014 cap number and ensuring he'll finish his career with the team.
It would take a crippling snowstorm that paralyzed the region, but the NFL has contingency plans in place to move Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium from Feb. 2 to an earlier or later date.
Even if it snows on Super Bowl Sunday, Eli Manning says 'just go play it' - NY Daily News
"I think whatever the circumstances are and conditions, you go play the game," he said. "I don’t think anybody wants a snowy game. But if that happens, that’s what you deal with."
"Just go play it."
New York Giants Jerrel Jernigan in line for more snaps - ESPN New York
"I just sit back and wait for my turn. My time to shine. Get out there and do the best I can do. Take care of the advantage that I get out there," Jernigan said. "That time came and I tried to go out there and make the most of it no matter what the score was."
Jim Schwartz, coach of Detroit Lions, focused on next game, not job - ESPN
Jim Schwartz understands why the questions are asked, why his potential future as the head coach of the Detroit Lions is a fairly large question these days.