Giants Still Control Their Own Destiny

Coughlin practicing constructive criticism

Unfortunately, Jeff Feagles is not walking through the door for the New York Football Giants. The Giants knew their decision to go into the season with a rookie punter could cost them a game or two with dropped snaps and shanked punts. It just so happened that Matt Dodge, the Giants rookie punter, may have cost them the most important game of the regular season with the division on the line. The coaching staff chose to go with Matt Dodge out of camp, and are as responsible as anyone for his ups and downs.  That's why its good to see Couglin stay with Dodge after Sunday's abysmal loss to the Eagles at the New Meadowlands Stadium.  The kid may turn out to be a very productive punter for the next decade, making Giants fans more irrate that he decided to kick a line drive to the fastest player in the NFL.  But, regardless of how his career unfolds, Dodge alone is not responsible for the stunning loss to the Eagles, in which the Giants blew a 31-10 lead with a little over eight minutes remaining.

Afterall, it was not Matt Dodge who decided to play a prevent defense in the fourth quarter or drop Justin Tuck into coverage.  Nor was it Matt Dodge's decision to have the hands team on the sidelines as the Eagles successfully recovered an onside kick.  Tom Coughlin can scream at Matt Dodge all he wants if he thinks that it will make him feel better.  But, he needs to do some soul searching after Sunday's loss, as the loss does not rest solely on the rookie punter, despite the chorus of boos that serenaded the punter as he walked off the field.

The good news for the Giants is that they still control their own destiny.  The bad news is that they won't have Plaxico Burress this time around when they go to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.  However,  you have to be thankful this holiday season, if you are a Giants fan, that Sunday's collapse to the Eagles came in the regular season rather than the NFC Championship Game.  Couglin will use this loss to motivate the troops to rally in Green Bay, and you can guarantee that you will not see another fourth quarter collapse from Big Blue as they look forward to making a run in this postseason.