The following article was in today's New York Daily News written by Ralph Vacchiano:

 

 

 

Desperate Tom calls audible

 

Changes play-callers for finale

 

BY RALPH VACCHIANO

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

 

As Giants tune out Tom Coughlin... ...the coach demotes John Hufnagel (l.)... ...and hands off play-calling duties to Kevin Gilbride. In a move that could be the last act of a desperate man, Tom Coughlin stripped John Hufnagel of his play-calling duties yesterday in the hopes of giving his dead team "a spark."

 

Coughlin made the decision late Sunday night, just hours after the Giants' woeful performance in a 30-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He then informed the much-maligned Hufnagel on Christmas morning that quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride will call the Giants' plays in Washington on Saturday night.

 

Coughlin will serve as his own offensive coordinator, replacing Hufnagel, who has been reassigned to do "advance" work for the rest of the coaching staff.

 

"John Hufnagel is not a scapegoat here," Coughlin insisted. "He is not. But we need a change, we need a spark, and that's the way it goes. How can you look at the production of Sunday and not think that, 'OK, there's some issue here?'"

 

Clearly, after the Giants put up just 142 yards - seven fewer than Saints rookie running back Reggie Bush had by himself - there were major issues. In fact, the offense looked so bad that, according to sources, co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch were likely going to demand that Coughlin fire Hufnagel after the season anyway - that is, if Coughlin isn't fired himself.

 

And Hufnagel's offense - ranked 14th in the NFL - has been under fire from his players for nearly two years. Tiki Barber has been a frequent critic, and Plaxico Burress has taken shots. Hufnagel was clearly the target when Barber and tight end Jeremy Shockey each made their infamous "We were outcoached" remarks - Barber after the Giants' playoff loss to the Panthers last season, Shockey after the Giants were routed by the Seahawks in September.

 

But despite the criticism, Coughlin said he hadn't considered making the move until "the last few weeks." And though he insisted he had no specific problem with Hufnagel's play-calling, the Saints debacle combined with the fact the Giants still have a great chance to get in the playoffs if they beat the Redskins, made him feel like he had no other choice.

 

"The point of Sunday, in my opinion, was the time in which I thought we had to do something," Coughlin said. "That's simply stated. I thought that Sunday, there was no doubt that our offensive team needs a change, needs a spark."

 

Coughlin considered taking on the play-calling himself, as he did for at least three of his eight years in Jacksonville, but decided the best choice was to turn to Gilbride, who was his offensive coordinator and play-caller in Jacksonville in 1995-96. Coughlin also hopes Gilbride, who has a close relationship with Eli Manning, will be able to spark the struggling quarterback, who was an embarrassing 9-for-25 for 74 yards against the Saints.

 

Still, Giants players seemed to doubt that the move will have any effect on a team that was demoralized and humiliated in front of their home fans on Sunday. When Coughlin informed them of the change yesterday, most were surprised.

 

But none of them knew what it really meant.

 

"How much does it really change things?" asked right tackle Kareem McKenzie. "Realistically, today is Day 1. It's not like he's had weeks to change the whole playbook. This is week 17. Let's be realistic about it."

 

"Our offense wasn't playing real well and obviously the Saints game was our worst performance," Manning added. "We couldn't do anything right, but that wasn't the coaching or the play-calling. I didn't think (the switch) was necessary. But that's what happens."

 

Even Coughlin conceded: "The offense won't change. You won't see anything totally different. You'll see basically the same approach. But you have a different person in the play-calling situation and we'll see how that goes."

 

Coughlin had to try something, after watching the Giants lose six of their last seven games and knowing he'll likely be fired if they lose one more, even if it was at the expense of Hufnagel - a man he called "one of the hardest workers I've ever been around. "I don't believe in scapegoats," Coughlin insisted. "This was, simply stated, to create some kind of spark."

The old man deserves to get the axe.