david dieHl - New York Giants

Q: As a coach, it must be a good feeling to see players persevere and then contribute so
significantly when called upon.
Coughlin: “It is, because it makes it all worthwhile for them and it also reinforces everything that
you do in terms of talking about team and about people being reliable and opportunity meeting
preparation. A big thing we talk about is when preparation meets opportunity and if a guy takes
full advantage of his opportunities, then he has in effect provided for his team an opportunity to
continue to win.”
Q: Outsiders might look at the roster and wonder how the playing time will be divided at
running back and wide receiver if everyone is healthy. But your attitude is…
Coughlin: “The more the merrier. Let’s have all the talent we can possibly have. They’ll
contribute in a lot of different ways and over the course of 16 games, it all works out.”
Q: When you play in Philadelphia Sunday night, it will be your 18 th regular-season game
against Andy Reid, which will tie the two of you for the most meetings by two active head
coaches. How much does the opposing coach factor into your preparation?
Coughlin: “Oh, it definitely does, but it also factors into the course of the game and what the
expectation is from the other sideline as the game is being played, particularly in situations that
are a little bit unusual. You have to be prepared for what you think the other coach might do.
What is his personality? What’s he liable to do in a situation where others might err on the side
of conservatism? Is that going to be the case here?”
Q: Do you also have to think, “I can’t be too predictable because he knows me, too?”
Coughlin: “No doubt about that. The Philadelphia media wanted to know if I was aware of how
the Cardinals were successful. I said yes, but I said, ‘Don’t forget, we have an incredible number
of games between the Giants and the Eagles and the first thing that we look at and we keep
track of is what did they do to us? What did we do to them?’ Because we've played them twice a
year for a lot of years.”
Q: I guess it’s an understatement to say you’re very familiar with each other after all those
games.
Coughlin: “Yes and so many of these games have been so closely contested. The ball hits the
upright from 57 yards (on a David Akers field goal attempt in 2007) down there. They kick a field
goal to beat us down there (in the 2006 playoffs). In 2008, they beat us here in a 17-10 game or
something like that (actually, 20-14). Sometimes, they’re so competitive and they’re usually
very, very close, tight games and they’re never decided until the very end and you just have so
much on the line in these games. First, they’re divisional games, and secondly, there’s such an
individualistic rivalry between the teams in your division, especially when you’re talking about
the NFC East and these teams have played each other for so many years dating back to the
beginning of the National Football League.”
Q: Lawrence Tynes has made all 11 of his field goal attempts and was the NFC Special Teams
Player of the Week after making all five of his tries at Carolina. Every one of his kicks seems to
fly right through the center of the uprights. Do you think it’s been very helpful to him to have
the same battery with Zak DeOssie and Steve Weatherford for a second year in a row?
Coughlin: “No question. Those are the things that if you’re not directly involved in it, you don’t
realize how important it is, the confidence that those three have in each other and the amount
of time they spend with each other. It’s incredible and you have people who by nature of their