Giants boss Coughlin seeks playoff reprieve

TOM COUGHLIN coached the New York Giants to an unlikely Super Bowl victory just four years ago, but now his job hangs in the balance.

Having started the season as a front runner to make it all the way to Cowboy Stadium in Dallas for the 45th Super Bowl, Coughlin’s Giants have done everything possible to miss out on a play-off spot.

But as the regular season reaches its climax tomorrow evening, the out-of-sorts ’Big Blue’ could sneak through if results go their way elsewhere.

The players rallied around Coughlin this week with quarterback Eli Manning deflecting blame for a recent slide onto himself while the coach’s son-in-law and Giants guard Chris Snee was also keen to reject claims that the players held Coughlin’s future in their hands.

“I’m not quite sure why we would be,” said Snee. “I mean, playing for his job? Two weeks ago no one was saying that. Now two weeks later everyone changes their viewpoint of the guy? It’s absurd.”

The New Jersey-based outfit are in danger of being the most high-profile victims of an exciting season that has seen several teams under-perform but their task tomorrow is simple: win at the lacklustre Washington Redskins and hope that the Green Bay Packers falter at home to the Chicago Bears.

However, the Giants know better than anyone that Green Bay are a resurgent force, having succumbed 45-17 to the Packers in Lambeau Field last Sunday. Also, Chicago are assured of a post-season first-round bye after the Philadelphia Eagles’ defeat to Minnesota on Tuesday and may take the foot off the pedal.

Elsewhere, in the NFC West, it’s winner-takes-all as the Seattle Seahawks take on the St Louis Rams for divisional honours and the last remaining play-off place with NFC leaders, the Atlanta Falcons, and the New Orleans Saints (wild card) having already secured post-season action along with the Bears and the Eagles.

In the AFC, the picture is a lot clearer with only the South Division remaining to be decided. The Indianapolis Colts simply need to beat the Tennessee Titans at home to join the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets in the post-season.

Super Bowl favourites, the Patriots host the Miami Dolphins while their AFC East rivals, the Jets host the Buffalo Bills. In the AFC North, should the unthinkable happen and the Steelers lose to the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens would secure a first-round bye if they beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home.

Full list of games (away teams first, win-loss record): AFC East: Miami Dolphins (7-8) at New England Patriots (13-2); Buffalo Bills (4-11) at New York Jets (10-5); AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) at Cleveland Browns (5-10); Cincinnati Bengals (4-11) at Baltimore Ravens (11-4); AFC South: Tennessee Titans (6-9) at Indianapolis Colts (9-6); Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7) at Houston Texans (5-10); AFC West: Oakland Raiders (7-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (10-5); San Diego Chargers (8-7) at Denver Broncos (4-11); NFC East: Dallas Cowboys (5-10) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-5); New York Giants (9-6) at Washington Redskins (6-9); NFC North: Chicago Bears (11-4) at Green Bay Packers (9-6); Minnesota Vikings (6-9) at Detroit Lions (5-10); NFC South: Carolina Panthers (2-13) at Atlanta Falcons (12-3); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6) at New Orleans Saints (11-4); NFC West: St. Louis Rams (7-8) at Seattle Seahawks (6-9); Arizona Cardinals (5-10) at San Francisco 49ers (5-10).