Coughlin wants a Giant clamp on his players' tongues

After spending a maddening season listening to Jeremy Shockey, Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress and others complain, New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin isn't going to take it anymore.

Coughlin met with some players and spoke to the team yesterday about the need for the Giants to play more and talk less, especially when it comes to criticizing teammates and the coaching staff.

"Let's just play the game - talk is cheap - let's play the game," Coughlin said as the Giants opened a mandatory 3-day minicamp. "I would like it to stay that way."

It certainly wasn't that way last season, as the Giants displayed a selfish nature in making the playoffs with an 8-8 record.

When things went right, they were fine. When things went wrong, they were willing to rip their coaches and teammates at the asking.

Shockey started it, saying the Giants were outplayed and outcoached in a 42-30 loss to Seattle early in the season. The Seahawks led 42-3 at one point.

Coughlin scolded Shockey after the outburst. The Giants won their next five games to reach the midway point at 6-2.

They went 2-6 in the second half as injuries to receiver Amani Toomer and defensive end Michael Strahan led to a major slide that got tongues wagging.

"Last year we had a couple of heads who wouldn't leave certain situations alone," Pro Bowl linebacker Antonio Pierce said.

Barber, who said the Giants were outcoached by former assistant John Fox in their 2005 playoff loss to Carolina, ripped offensive coordinator John Hufnagel for abandoning the running game too early in a loss at Jacksonville in early November.

Coughlin counseled Barber after the complaint. Barber retired after the season, saying Coughlin's coaching style hastened his departure.

A couple of weeks later, Strahan criticized Burress for giving up on a play after Pacman Jones made a crucial interception in an embarrassing loss to Tennessee. New York blew a 21-point fourth-quarter lead.

Burress, who said Coughlin didn't know how to take a joke in training camp, occasionally complained about not getting enough passes from Eli Manning.

"If it's not about football or this week's performance or this week's opponent, we don't need to talk about it," Pierce said. "That's what my approach will be this year. I want to go back to having fun playing football."

Strahan agreed.

"Complaining doesn't do anything," he said. "When you lose and complain, it does nothing. When you brag, it does nothing. All that matters is how you play next week, and I like that. Shut up and play. You should be known more about how you play than how you talk."

In other Giants news, five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead signed a 1-day contract so he could retire as a Giant. To make room for Armstead on the roster, the Giants placed starting fullback Jim Finn on season-ending injured reserve. Finn, a former Penn standout, had shoulder surgery Monday.

* San Francisco coach Mike Nolan and Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio received permission from commissioner Roger Goodell to wear suits and ties to all eight of their clubs' regular-season home games in 2007.

* San Francisco coach Mike Nolan and Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio received permission from commissioner Roger Goodell to wear suits and ties to all eight of their clubs' regular-season home games in 2007.

* The Jaguars have told their quarterbacks that they are interested in Miami's Daunte Culpepper, starter Byron Leftwich and backup David Garrard said. The Dolphins have said they want to trade Culpepper.

* Washington right guard Randy Thomas had minor surgery on his right knee. He is expected to recover in time for the start of training camp. *