Giants see close-call loss a 'momentum builder' for playoffs

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print

As a veteran head coach with an old-school philosophy, Tom Coughlin knows there is no such thing as a moral victory in the NFL.

But in the wake of the New York Giants' admirable effort against the New England Patriots on Saturday night, it might have been impossible to convince Coughlin or his players that their effort in a 38-35 defeat represented anything but a positive.

[+] Enlarge

Rich Kane/US PresswireTom Coughlin was proud of how his injury-riddled team played against the Patriots.

Indeed, in the New York locker room late Saturday night, collective determination seemed to trump disappointment, and there was a feeling of pride at having played so well and so hard with nothing on the line. The Giants went into the game knowing they could not improve on their No. 5 seed in the NFC postseason bracket, and were already scheduled to face the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Much of the debate preceding the game was whether Coughlin should play his regulars against the undefeated Patriots, and for how long into the contest. The subject of playing time never became an issue, however, as the Giants scored on their opening possession and were either tied or led for all but 11 seconds of the game's first 50 minutes.

I don't know any better way of being prepared for the playoffs than to go against a team that is 15-0. And I really think this [provides] the momentum we were looking forward to.

-- Tom Coughlin, after the Giants' close loss to the Patriots

The only downside for New York, besides the final outcome, was the potential loss of center Shaun O'Hara and weakside linebacker Kawika Mitchell to medical collateral ligament sprains and cornerback Sam Madison to an abdominal strain.

"I will say this: There is nothing but positives about this game, nothing but positives," Coughlin said. "I told the players that in playing this game and against this team, there would be no negatives. And that is pretty much the way that I feel. … I don't know any better way of being prepared for the playoffs than to go against a team that is 15-0. And I really think this [provides] the momentum we were looking forward to."

That clearly was the overriding message delivered by Coughlin to his charges. Because, as if rehearsed, no fewer than six New York players employed the same term, "momentum builder," in describing the game. The words were, in fact, almost like a mantra. Yet there was nothing contrived about them, because it seemed the Giants were actually energized by the bitter defeat.

"You always want to measure yourself against the best, and see how you stack up, and we played the best team in the league and played them tough," said wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who had two touchdown catches against the Pats.

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print
• Subscribe