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Giants Fans Are Asking: Who Is The Genius Now?

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 23, 2007

The worm turns quickly in The Big Apple.

A year ago, the Jets won the hearts and minds of New York football fans with a stunning 10-win season for rookie coach Eric Mangini, who inherited a 4-12 club and earned a playoff berth with a late charge built on defense.

Meanwhile, the Giants started fast for Coach Tom Coughlin before fading to 8-8, followed by a quick playoff flameout at Philadelphia.

Mangini was dubbed 'Mangenius' and lauded as a young teacher on the rise, even garnering a cameo appearance on 'The Sopranos.'

Coughlin's tough approach generated criticism from some of his players, including ex-Giant Tiki Barber, and prompted snickers from reporters who questioned the merits of his autocratic style.

As the Giants prepare to head overseas for Sunday's game against the winless Dolphins, London is calling and New York has answered with a five-game winning streak.

'I like this team in terms of their approach,' Coughlin said after New York matched the same 5-2 start he posted in each of his three previous years with the Giants. 'The players have a good attitude and there is real good support for one another.'

The Giants figure to hit the bye week at 6-2 before the Cowboys ride into the Meadowlands for a midseason NFC East showdown.

Injuries helped derail New York last season as the defense collapsed down the stretch and Barber's impending retirement proved a distraction.

The Giants find themselves relatively healthy and their fierce pass rush dropped Trent Dilfer six times in Sunday's 33-15 romp against the reeling 49ers.

Most importantly, the club seems united behind Coughlin.

'There's definitely a better chemistry,' said tackle Kareem McKenzie. 'We have a team that's unselfish.'

While the Giants frolic at Camp Coughlin, the Jets find themselves scrambling for shelter after a fourth consecutive setback. A 38-31 loss to the Bengals dropped the Jets to 1-6 and Mangini is no longer scoffing at rumors of an imminent change at quarterback.

QB Chad Pennington has struggled during the tailspin, but the real culprit is a defense that yields an average of 27 points per game.

'It needs to be more consistent at every single position on defense,' Mangini said. 'That's the way it's going to improve. It needs to be executed better and it needs to be coached better.'

HUDDLE UP: The most overlooked RB in the league is Marion Barber of the Cowboys. Tacklers bounce off his 220-pound frame like bowling pins and he is the glue to the NFC's highest-scoring attack. ... Chiefs second-year S Jarrad Page, who grew up in the Bay area city of San Leandro, has registered four interceptions in three games against the Raiders. Page also had a key fourth-down stop against LaMont Jordan in the second quarter Sunday as Kansas City posted its ninth consecutive victory against a bitter AFL rival. ... The Titans have far too good of a defense to give up 29 points and 253 yards to the Texans in the fourth quarter, especially with Sage Rosenfels calling signals. ... The Jets are still waiting for DT Dewayne Robertson to make an impact after giving up a pair of first-round picks and a fourth-rounder to make him the fourth player selected in the 2003 draft. ... That was a classic blunder by the Eagles on Sunday against the Bears - relying on the clock to run out instead of applying pressure against Brian Griese during a 97-yard drive that looked way too easy.

Nobody misses Michael Vick's presence in Atlanta more than Warrick Dunn, averaging a mere 3.1 yards on his 95 carries without stretched defenses focusing on Vick's ability to break containment. ... The Rams have been a sham since Week 1, when Pro Bowl LT Orlando Pace was sidelined for the season. Marc Bulger, sacked seven times against Seattle, should think about shutting it down for the rest of the year behind a woeful offensive line. ... With Steve McNair still unavailable, why would Baltimore's Brian Billick order up 38 passes and 24 runs at Buffalo? That's poor coaching, especially since Willis McGahee was averaging 6 yards a pop. ... Broncos K Jason Elam is quietly building a Hall of Fame resume. The 15-year pro simply doesn't miss in crunch time, regardless of weather conditions.

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