NY Giants News: Tom Coughlin Wants His Team To Play "Above The X's And O's"

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The New York Giants enter their Monday Night Football matchup with the Indianapolis Colts in need of a victory to pull back to .500 and reinsert themselves into the conversation for the NFC Playoffs.

For head coach Tom Coughlin, such a big win won't come from a mere execution of fundamentals. It will come from an impassioned group ready to make whatever plays necessary to pick up the W.

“To me, it’s all about people,’’ Coughlin said, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “I mean, anybody can run a crossing pattern, but a crossing pattern where the guy catches the ball and makes two guys miss and runs to the end zone, that’s playing above the X’s and O’s. The quarterback spins out of a potential sack and throws the ball downfield for a 25-yard gain, that’s playing above the X’s and O’s. A guy runs from the other side of the field, tips the ball up in the air, his teammate intercepts it and runs in the end zone or he forces a fumble and a defensive lineman picks it up and runs in the end zone — playing above the X’s and O’s."

In case that wasn't clear enough, Coughlin further emphasized his mind-over-matter principle with a straightforward statement on his Giants' current situation.

“No one wants to be 3-4," Coughlin said. "Nobody wants to be mediocre. We’re going to have to do something about that and the way to do that is to put yourself in a state of mind — believing is more than saying it, you’ve got to act it."

"If you really do believe that you can win, then act like it.’’

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