Tom Coughlin NFL Combine Press Conference: Head Coach Tom Coughlin addressed the press yesterday at the NFL Combine. Here are some tidbits from his press conference:
- On the 2010 Giants: “There were at times during the season, I came away from games saying, ‘Geez, we may really have something. And as soon as I said that, then Steve Smith had his (pectoral) problem. (But) it is not all about that. Everybody overcomes injuries…There are games where we didn’t play as well. The No. 1 factor I attributed to from Day One was the turnovers. You lead the league in takeaways but you also lead the league in giveaways. Had that been more in the norm for our team, then I think we probably win two more games than lose.”
- On what the Giants need to do to finish seasons stronger: “Keep playing. Keep playing. Keep on going. The message is very loud and clear. It’s a long season. You stay positive. You stay focused. Yeah, you’re disappointed if things don’t go your way or you have a game you don’t play particularly well. But you know what, you’ve got to come back and you’ve got to regroup and you’ve got to rally and go forward and give yourself a chance.”
- On the team’s biggest needs: “I’ll just say one – the center position is a concern because we have injuries at that spot.”
- On OG/OC Rich Seubert, who suffered a dislocated knee cap, a torn patella tendon, and ligament damage in his knee in the regular-season finale: “I don’t think for a guy to be 31, 32 is necessarily (means that) he is too old to play the game. Richie is making good progress. It is a very serious injury. If there is anybody who can overcome, it is going to be that guy. He is one tough guy.”
- On DE Mathias Kiwanuka, who suffered a herniated disc in his neck early in the 2010 season: “Seems to be doing pretty well. I don’t think the final hurdle has been overcome but the arrow is in the right direction, it’s been positive.”
- On WR Steve Smith, who underwent microfracture surgery on his knee: “He’s making progress, but I haven’t seen Steve. Just on one occasion, and it was very early on. From what I understand from a medical standpoint, it would be late spring or whatever before we would have a chance to know where we stand.”
- On if there have been any internal discussions regarding the possible return of WR Plaxico Burress, who is scheduled to be released from prison in June: “A little bit. Not much. There may be some further discussion. There hasn’t really been any lengthy discussions to this point…I don’t know that there would be interest on the part of the Giants. I don’t know that there won’t be but I don’t know if there will be.”
- On whether the Giants should add a play-making linebacker: “Good idea.”
- On the development of DE Jason Pierre-Paul: “His upside is good. He’s just learning. He’s learning and the fact that he was able to hang in there. You know, all rookies go through that dip where holy cow, there’s more to this? Yeah, there’s another nine games. But yeah, he did very well. He had his moments where he was trying to figure it all out but for the most part he’s definitely come a long way. He’s very talented, he’s young, knock wood, healthy.”
- On HB Brandon Jacobs: “He does need to carry the ball a little bit more…You look at the end of the year numbers, you’d want him to have a few more carries…Brandon was fresher than he’s ever been, healthier than he’s ever been and probably needs to carry the ball a little bit more.”
- On S Antrel Rolle’s past comments that Coughlin needs to loosen up: “He should have seen me a few years ago.”
