Giants Coughlin Shows Everyone Who's The Boss

Tom Coughlin made two calls—one before and one during— a game against the Dallas Cowboys yesterday that saved the New York Giants season and probably saved his job—again.

Before Sunday's game in Dallas, the Giants head coach benched arguably his best running back Ahmad Bradshaw for the first half before the season's biggest game and then later called a time-out to ice rookie Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey's 47-yard field goal seconds from sending the game into overtime.

Taking a cue from Cowboy's head coach Jason Garrett—who iced his own kicker last week in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals— Coughlin's call made Bailey attempt a do-over which was blocked by Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul.

The blocked kick gave the Giants (7-6) an unbelievable 37-34 victory and put them in first place of the NFC East ahead of the Cowboys (7-6) via tie breaker.  The two teams will clash again on New Year's Day at MetLife Stadium.

Benching Bradshaw was a game day decision after the running back reportedly violated team curfew although neither the player or coach would confirm that.  Either way, Bradshaw suited up and played ineffectively during the second half.

Brandon Jacobs, who was called a "bully" by Cowboys DB Mike Jenkins earlier in the week, got the start and lived up to the new nickname.  The Giants bruiser rumbled through the Cowboys defense for 101 yards on 19 carries and two TD's.

As many things that went right for the Giants went wrong.

Eli Manning overcame numerous tipped and dropped passes to keep the G-Men close for three quarters but when it looked like the Cowboys had the game in control, Manning came alive and led the team to 15 points in the last 5:41.

It was Manning's fifth fourth quarter comeback victory this season and after losing four straight, the Giants find themselves in the  thick of the playoff hunt.

But it all comes down to Coughlin.

Call him a taskmaster, old school or just plain out of touch with today's player—but he does it his way.

Every year there are calls for the rosy-cheeked Coughlin's head— especially when the team begins their annual December swoon.  Maybe this year things will be different.

"We needed to have a locker room celebration," said Coughlin in the Giants locker room after the win.  "We've been starving for for that."

Yesterday's victory changes everything about the Giants.  If the Giants lost, they would trail the Cowboys by two games for even the final wild-card spot and end the regular season facing division rival The Washington Redskins, New York City rival the New York Jets and, of course, their arch enemy the  Cowboys.

That road is more of a slosh through the Meadowlands swamps than a romp through Central Park.

Maybe this Giants team isn't reminiscent of Coughlin's former teams.  The running game has been anemic, the defense lets opponent's offense have their way all game long and it has given up 114 points in the last three games, but if there is a constant, it is Coughlin.

The more things change, the more they don't.

Brandon Jacobs To Cowboys: "I Am A Bully"

Brandon Jacobs agrees with Cowboys Mike Jenkins that "he is a bully" and because the Dallas cornerback said it, the Giants running back thinks the Cowboys are scared.

On Wed., Jenkins said this about Jacobs, "That's him.  That's what you get from him.  He is a bully."

Jacobs, the 260-pound pile driver, pulled no punches when he said that he doesn't mind the derogatory label.

On Wed., Jacobs proudly claimed "I am a bully" in response to Jenkins dig.

Not exactly politically-correct, but it makes some awfully good bulletin board material.

"I think people who call out bullies are afraid of bullies," said Jacobs on Thursday.  "If you call me a bully, that's how I see it.  They're just sitting back waiting for us to come there, and we're going in there ready to play football."

Just another one of the controversial tid-bits Jacobs has babbled this season.

Earlier in the season, he criticized the coaches for not using him enough and— after the recent loss to the Philadelphia Eagles— Jacobs commented about the fans who booed him during his 12-carries for 21 yards game.

"I don't take nothing back about what I said about the fans," he crowed.

Jacobs hasn't exactly been bowling over too many opponents this season with bully-like running.  His physical running style has been hampered by injuries all season and pulled a hamstring, after gaining 25 yards on two carries, last week against the Green Bay Packers. 

It sounds like Jacobs wants to make a statement on the field in this week's critical game in Dallas.

"That's always our plan," he said.  "If you go in there and bring it to them and keep doing it all game long, some body's going to break.  Either the person who's giving it is going to get tired of bringing it or they're going to get tired of trying to stop the person that's bringing it.  Whoever wants it bad enough."

Giants DE Justin Tuck agrees.

"I always tell him 'First they're going to try and face you up,'" Tuck said.  "'Second quarter they might slide and ask for their teammate to help them.  Third quarter, man, they're going to be jumping out of the way.'  I'm hoping that he understands how dominant of a back he can be when he wants to be."

Tuck laughed off Cowboys DeMarcus Ware's assertion that he wants to swap the "NY" on his helmet for a star.

"Me wanting to be a Cowboy?  Hmmm," Tuck said.  "Well, I don't wear Wranglers.  I don't wear cowboy hats or boots or those buckle belts.  And I don't need a star on my helmet to tell me I'm pretty good at what I do.   I plan on retiring a Giant."