david dieHl - New York Giants

Coughlin: “Well, most of the time I spend talking about them being 11-2 and having the most wins in the
National Football League, so I’m not as concerned about where they were. I’m sure they talk about that,
but what I’m concerned about is the fact that throughout the course of the entire season, it’s a long
season and there’s a lot of ups and downs for everybody, no matter what your talent level is, no matter
where you are and this team is 11-2. So they’re a good football team.”
Q: You’ve had success in the Georgia Dome. What’s the key to maintaining poise in the noise?
Coughlin: “It’s very loud. It’ll be louder now because of the success that they’ve had, but it has to be
done. The communication process is something that’s not easy. The focus, the concentration has got to
stay imminent at every second, because right now what I really do preach is the fact that the intensity
level of every snap now - if you stop and think about it last week, we said there was 240 to 260 snaps
left in the regular season, 120 on special teams. Well, take 60 away and here is where we are. Every
snap is critical and when you look at some of the things that Atlanta has done in late game-type heroics
you understand that. They’ve also had 49 points this year off of drives that were four plays or less. They
are a quick strike outfit and so there are a lot of things that you do have to understand when you talk
about the intensity of every snap right now.”
Q: Eli Manning threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown early in the game last week.
He later threw another pick that led to a score. How do you deal with him during the game when that
happens? Do you immediately say something to him?
Coughlin: “I didn’t when he came to the sideline. He walked off right near me, I think on both occasions,
and I didn’t say anything at all with the first one and then we ran the kick back (for a touchdown), so it
was exciting. The second one I simply say what he already knows and what he’s saying coming to the
sideline. When the timing of the play is disrupted and you begin to force or stare down a receiver, it’s
attracting people. Throw it away. Just simple stuff. Nothing complicated.”
Q: Is your approach in that situation to try to offer encouragement?
Coughlin: “I try to. With him, I’ve always done that. I always try to encourage or say something that’s
meaningful for him to put that whole thing in perspective. You don’t erase it, but you try to create an
opportunity to improve.”
Q: David Wilson scored three touchdowns and set records last week. He handled the disappointment
of not playing earlier in the season and now he’s had some success. He got a lot of attention this
week. Do you think he is ready to handle that success?
Coughlin: “I hope so, because he said the right things. He said the type of things you’d want him to say.
He’s focusing, he’s working hard because he wants to be a guy that contributes and not the guy that
prevents us. He’s going to be a target now. He’s going to have to know that and so I hope he can handle
it and I have to believe he will.”
Q: He’s not the biggest guy in the world. Sometimes people look at smaller running backs and say
they’re going to get beat up if they get a lot of carries. But a lot of times it seems those are the guys
who avoid the big hits more than some of the bigger backs. Do you agree with that?
Coughlin: “I don’t know. I would just say this to you. It’s the individual. These guys are not small. They’re
short. They’re not small. They’re thick. They’re muscular. This guy has very, very good leg strength and
he has got one ingredient that you look for in everybody and it’s stamina. He has outstanding stamina. It
appears that he can go all day long, so those are going to be assets he needs right down the stretch
here.”