Coughlin: 'Make the plays when the plays are there to be made'

Tom Coughlin had some interesting things to say during his weekly exclusive interview with Michael Eisen of Giants.com. Here are a couple of them.

On the Giants' inconsistency ...

"I think sometimes people don't understand, the players don't understand that missed opportunities will definitely come back to haunt you and they do. They have done that. You can take any number you want, I can give you 21 points that were gifts to them (the Colts) last weekend. Gifts, flat out gifts. Again, you go back to maybe the first lecture in training camp about not beating yourself. Well, we're still doing it and until that's corrected..."

On missed opportunities vs. the Colts ...

"Six plays on defense that should have been made, six plays. And then with the dropped passes, the ones that jump out, we drop a ball on the five-yard line for a first down. It's very difficult to win under those circumstances, very difficult. And yet you see plays that are spectacular plays. Josh Brown's onside kick, it was in the air for 10 minutes. It's the best-placed ball and we didn't get it. We had it, but again, opportunity lost.

"Make the plays when the plays are there to be made. Who in the world are you going to blame it on?"

Valentine's View

Say what you want about Coughlin, and agree or disagree with Antrel Rolle or Jason Pierre-Paul and their talk of "passion" or "heart." Monday vs. the Colts you can count 12 plays that could have, and in many cases, should have been made by the Giants that were not made. Think those would have changed the outcome?

There were five dropped passes. I know the official stats say two, but watch the film. There were five. There were three dropped interceptions, two in the end zone. One of those was simply taken away from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie by T.Y. Hilton for a touchdown. There were three Indianapolis fumbles, none of which the Giants were able to recover. There was Brown's beautifully executed onside kick.

If players simply "make the plays when the plays are there to be made," the Giants are probably a couple of games better than 3-5. And we probably aren't talking about whether or not Coughlin will be coaching the Giants beyond this season.

Coughlin certainly is not blameless, but neither should the finger point only at the coach and his assistants. The players need to look in the mirror and address their own failings.