Tom Coughlin tweaks critics

Albany, N.Y. – Packers linebacker Clay Matthews suggested in an interview last week that the Giants were lucky to get past them in the NFC divisional playoffs in last year’s playoffs. And 49ers safety Donte Whitner said he didn’t consider the Giants one of the best teams remaining in the playoffs when they faced them in the NFC championship game. (graph)

Tom Coughlin offered his own parting shot to the critics yesterday. Asked if he took offense to the remarks, Coughlin said he did not. “I don’t pay any attention to them, but I’ve got them all written down.” The coach smiled broadly and did not comment further. (graph)

Evidently, there is some future bulletin board material from the Giants’ head coach. (graph)

Matthews said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports that the Packers basically beat themselves in the divisional playoffs, which the Giants won 37-20 in Green Bay. “We picked the most inopportune time to play our worst ball,” Matthews said. “The fact is, [the Giants] didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves.”

Whitner said he felt the Packers were the best team left in the playoffs after San Francisco beat the Saints in the divisional round.

“We felt like it was ours to lose,” Whitner said in comments aired before the 49ers’ preseason game against Minnesota on Friday. “Especially after we beat the Saints, we felt like it was ours to lose. We felt like the Saints and Green Bay Packers were the two best teams in the playoffs and once they went down we felt like it was ours to lose, and we let it slip through our fingers.”