Giants' Tom Coughlin reminds team, 'destiny is a matter of choice'
"Destiny is a matter of choice. We talked about that (Thursday) morning," Coughlin said in his weekly interview with Giants.com, the team's official website. "But we also talked about the positive energy that has to be generated at this time of year about the opportunities that we have. We’re 7-5. We lead the division by one game. We do have control of our own fate in our own hands and that’s the way you want it. You don’t want to be dependent on anyone else, and so that’s where we are and trying to stay positive."
Coughlin said it was a challenge, after a Monday night game, to spin the week forward while also reviewing the lessons from last week's 17-16 loss to the Redskins. He said he went over three topics with the team: Consistency, the unacceptable nine penalties against Washington and last year's mantra of finishing, which he said the team hasn't done in its past two losses.
"We have to play consistently at a championship level," Coughlin continued. "We had the Green Bay experience (a 38-10 win), which was a great experience when we had great passion and our energy level was very, very high and we played like we expected to win. I wouldn’t say that about the other night. So we have to get back to that. We have to play that way to establish yourself finishing the season that way, and if you’re playing your best football, then you have high expectations and they’re legit. But if you’re not playing especially well, then that’s another issue.”