EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Regardless of what decisions await him and the team next week, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is determined to coach Sunday's season finale against the Eagles the same way he always does, and he's asking his players to help.

"I told them in our meeting this morning that I expect their focus and their preparation to be as high as it's been all year," Coughlin said Wednesday.

But when he addressed the players, Coughlin didn't pretend that nothing's going on with his own situation. He's seen some supportive and complimentary quotes from players in the coverage of Sunday's game and wanted to let them know they shouldn't have to be thinking of such things.

"I said, 'Look, it's not fair. You're young men. I'm the head coach, you're the players'," Coughlin said. "I appreciate the sentiments, but that's not where I want them focused this week. So basically, I said, 'Don't worry about me or my situation. Let's prepare ourselves to play an outstanding football game, try to win a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.'"

The Giants are 6-9, assured of a third straight losing season and a fourth straight season out of the playoffs. Coughlin's hold on his job is as tenuous as it's ever been, and signs point to the Giants moving on from their two-time Super Bowl-winning coach after 12 years. But Coughlin stressed that he's working to keep such thoughts out of his own head as well as his players' heads.

"I'm going to prepare myself and our team as best we can for this game, period," Coughlin said. "This is the 16th game of the season, and that's where I'm focused. I won't let myself go in those other directions, because we have a job to do, and that's what we're going to do. All these other issues will clear up in time, but not before then. The questions, I understand what you're trying to get at, but that's not my position to discuss that. I'm preparing for this game, and that's the best I can do."

Obviously, and especially with the Eagles the upcoming opponent, it did not go unnoticed in the Giants' building that Philadelphia fired its own head coach, Chip Kelly, on Tuesday night.

"I'm not surprised by anything in this business," Coughlin said. "But that one came close."