The Carolina Panthers are traveling to New York on Sunday to face off against the Giants in a vital late-season game. Their opponents are a team that is on the cusp of capturing a playoff spot and fighting for their post-season lives. That makes this game much more important and dangerous as the Panthers continue to push toward an undefeated season. However, this game against the Giants is perhaps the biggest risk to that 16-0 mark left in their 2015 campaign.
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Offensively the Giants are a powerful force. They are averaging 26 points per game behind an impressive 272 yards passing. Odell Beckham Jr. continues to put up amazing numbers as he sets receiving records for a player with his level of experience.
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One of the main stories is how will the Panthers deal with the combination of Manning and Beckham Jr. Josh Norman will most likely pay the most attention to the Giants star receiver. This is just the position that he enjoys as Norman has been the cornerstone of a Panthers’ defense that continues to hold star receivers in check, while forcing quarterbacks into bad throws.
Behind the combined force of Norman and Kurt Coleman, the Panthers’ defense has a league leading 21 interceptions. Eli Manning has shown some struggles with throwing into bad situations so expect the Panthers to attempt to continue the trend of snatching the ball out of the air.
Another aspect of the conversation that doesn’t bode well for the Giants is their inability to run the ball. Their 88.4 yards rushing per game is amongst the lowest in the league and allows the Panthers to focus their efforts on the passing attack. The Panthers have one of the best rushing defenses in the league and an ability to bring pressure with their front four. The Giants will find themselves in trouble if they are unable to give their passing game some breathing room.
Offensively, the question will be whether or not the Giants can deal with the Panthers’ rushing attack. Carolina is averaging 141 yards on the ground while the Giants are putting together a solid run defense that gives up a little more than 110 yards per outing. Carolina needs to find a way to continue to leverage their attack behind the legs of Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert to control the clock; keeping Cam Newton out of pressure situations.
The real threat comes in the Panthers’ passing game. The Giants’ passing defense is the worst in the league; giving up 308 yards per game. Even though the Panthers do not boast a standout player like Beckham, men such as Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn Jr. continue to perform above standards. If the Giants are going to win this game they need to control the way Carolina collects yards through short passing plays before hitting a big strike over the top to either player.
Next: Matchup To Watch: Odell Beckham Jr. Versus Josh Norman
Critics have questioned the strength of schedule that the Panthers faced throughout this year. Even still, the team grows closer to going undefeated each time they step on the field. The New York Giants pose an interesting threat to the situation but there are a number of key ways in which the Panthers can take this victory.