ESPN

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Giants are only two months removed from winning the Super Bowl, but they've been overshadowed in New York by Tebow-mania.

That's fine by Tom Coughlin. As far as he's concerned, the Jets can have the headlines, he's got the Lombardi Trophy. He doesn't think the fans have forgotten what they accomplished.

"You know who won the Super Bowl, you know who the world champions are," Coughlin told reporters Wednesday morning at the NFL meetings. "Whether we’re on the front page every day or not, it’s not that important. New Yorkers know."

This came three days after Giants co-owner John Mara mocked the Jets' acquisition of Tim Tebow, saying they were planning to have a news conference for their recently-signed backup, David Carr.

Coughlin didn't want to comment on the Tebow trade -- "That's their business," he said -- but he praised Tebow as a football player, calling him "physically tough ... a guy that's going to be a force in your locker room."

Asked if he'd ever consider removing his "guy" for 20 snaps per game, as the Jets have suggested they might do with Mark Sanchez so Tebow could run the wildcat, Coughlin looked increduously at the questioner.

"Our guy?" he asked, referring to Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

In a one-hour sitdown with reporters, Coughlin touched on a variety of topics:

• On this week's annoucement that the Giants will face the Cowboys in the NFL opener: Coughlin said he wasn't surprised because "the league always does a great job of making it a very attractive." That the game will be played on a Wednesday night, he admitted, will be a challenge in terms of the training-camp and practice schedule.

• On re-signing RB Brandon Jacobs: "I think it’s a possibility. Brandon wanted the opportunity to go out into the marketplace and see what he could do with the opportunity, and it was granted. We'll just see." The Giants are looking for a backup to Ahmad Bradshaw. UPDATE: Jacobs has agreed to a deal with the 49ers, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.



Coughlin said it's hard to cut players that contribute to a championship, adding, "There is some sentiment involved in it, but we don’t say goodbye, we say, 'Next time.'"

• On the future of DE Osi Umenyiora: Coughlin said he has no plans to part ways with Umenyiora, who staged a training-camp holdout last summer. He wants Osi back. "I'm not thinking of anything else," he said.

• On a contract extension. Coughlin, entering the final year of his contract, expressed confidence a deal will get done shortly. He also discussed the joy of winning a title in New York.

• His hysterical recollection of his post-game hug with rap star Flavor Flav: "I finished (an interview with the NFL Network) and I get up. This guy is waiting for me with these glasses, big glasses, and a clock on his chest. He's kind of right in front of me. I walk by. I mean, I'm hugging sign posts at that time. He grabbed me and hugged me. I walked away and one of my kids says, 'Dad, you know who that was?' I said, 'No, I don't know who that was.' They said, 'Fava Flav' -- a rap singer. Then we're at the parade and (Brandon) Jacobs reaches down, grabs him by the hand, pulls him up and he's on the float. I'm on one of the floats with him, too!"

Tough day for the Jets. New York City is picking up confetti from the Giants’ victory parade. The Jets? Well, they're still picking up the pieces from a shattered season.

But, hey, life is a learning experience, and the Jets can learn plenty from Super Bowl XLVI. Six things they can take away from it:

1. You need a franchise quarterback. There are rare exceptions, of course, but the reality is you need an elite quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Unless they’re lying through their teeth, the Jets believe they have that guy in Mark Sanchez. We’ll find out the truth in about a month, when Peyton Manning is expected to become available.

2. Pass rush is important. Because it's a passing league, you need to have the ability to put the quarterback on the ground. Once again, the Giants proved that it’s vital to have pressure players. Instead of trying to manufacture a pass rush with scheme, the Jets need to bring in some horses. They've ignored this for too long.

3. Chemistry is key. The prevailing theme in the Giants’ locker room late Sunday night was team unity, how their belief in one another helped them navigate a turbulent season. The Giants were 7-7, and everybody wanted Tom Coughlin’s head on a platter, but the team never succumbed to the adversity. The Jets, who did, have a lot of work to do in this area.

4. Depth isn’t a luxury, it’s a must. Both the Giants and Patriots suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, but they kept it together, in many cases with no-name players. The Jets, now paying for having traded away so many draft choices over the years, have depth issues at quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and safety.

5. Continuity is big. Eli Manning has been in the same offensive system his entire career. For the most part, so has Tom Brady. Both teams have a system that works, and they know how to find players to fit the system. The Jets have that on defense, but not on offense – and they won’t anytime soon. They’re starting over with a new coordinator, Tony Sparano, and a new system.

6. Strong leadership is essential. You may not like their styles, but Coughlin and Bill Belichick have a style, an unwavering philosophy on how to lead their respective teams. Rex Ryan still is finding himself, conceding he needs to tweak his approach. Ryan deserves some slack because he’s a lot less experienced than Coughlin and Belichick, both of whom are in their second head-coaching job, but it’s time for Ryan to settle in and chart a course for the Jets.

Attention, Giants and Jets fans -- Tom Coughlin needs your help.

Today's Hot Button debate on ESPN.com pits TC vs. BB, as in Bill Belichick, as in the former HC of the NYJ.

You can vote for Coughlin vs. Belichick in the ESPNNewYork.com home page poll, or by following this link to the Hot Button feature.

Vote early, vote often, and send this to all your friends. At the moment, Belichick has 78% of the vote. Let's see what Blue and Green can do.