Thursday, December 24, 2009

My Panthers-Giants prediction

Before we get to this week's prediction, here's a holiday treat if you're in the mood: My spoof of the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem.

Now... a few notes on Sunday's Panthers-Giants game.

-- I generally get depressed on the day after Christmas anyway. This year I went ahead and assured it by scheduling myself to fly into Newark, N.J., on Dec.26. Let’s just say Newark is not quite McAdenville.

-- What a game this was in 2008. Do you remember? Just like now, it came in the 15th game of the season, in New Jersey. The Panthers and the New York Giants were both 11-3 coming in, and the game would be played for homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

DeAngelo Williams scored four touchdowns in that one. If Jimmy Hoffa is really buried in one of the Giants’ end zones, it was amazing DeAngelo didn’t find him that day. Some belligerent Giants fans started heaving snowballs at each other and at the field early when it wasn’t going their way. But then Carolina’s run defense disintegrated, John Kasay couldn’t connect on a 50-yard field goal at the end of regulation that would have won it and the Giants ran over the Panthers in overtime, 34-28.

Now the Giants are 8-6. Carolina is 6-8. New York is just trying to eke out a wild-card spot, while Carolina’s players and coaches are just trying to hold onto their jobs.

-- I underestimated Matt Moore last week against Minnesota. I never expected Moore to throw for 299 yards and outplay Brett Favre, but he did. That was the best NFL game Moore has ever played, but this will be a sterner test – on the road and in the cold, where Moore didn’t fare well two weeks ago against New England.

-- I was sorry to see Jake Delhomme put on injured reserve – what a bitter end to the worst season he’s had as a starter. I do still expect Delhomme to be here in 2010 in some fashion – the Panthers owe him so much money they may as well keep him around and let him compete for the job. Comebacks have been made from a lot worse situations than the one in which Delhomme sits right now.

-- The Panthers continue to be difficult to predict this season. What sort of NFL team loses to Buffalo and the New York Jets and beats Arizona and Minnesota? I think Eli Manning is too hot for the Panthers to stop in this one.

My prediction: New York Giants 24, Carolina 17.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe if the Panthers can beat the Vikings they can beat the Giants. The Vikings are a far better team than the Giants this year so why not. The Giants stadium is tough though, i hear announcers talking about swirling winds in it Moore better not let any balls linger in the air they better be all crisp bullets to the receivers. I predict the Panthers win 32-21

Anonymous said...

"I believe if the Panthers can beat the Vikings they can beat the Giants. The Vikings are a far better team than the Giants this year so why not. The Giants stadium is tough though, i hear announcers talking about swirling winds in it Moore better not let any balls linger in the air they better be all crisp bullets to the receivers. I predict the Panthers win 32-21"
Agree...Well Said!

Anonymous said...

My prediction: Giants 37 - Panthers 10

The Panthers are garbage under FoHurn. They need to lose the next two games to make sure those two losers go away.

Hopefully Jake has thrown his last pass as a Carolina Panther.

Anonymous said...

The Panthers NEED to Win the next 2 Games to prove how stupid Fox was for supporting Jake the fake for so long...
Viking Win was a good start...Matt should of been the starter 4 or 5 games ago....
Go Panthers...win the next 2!

Curtis Watkins said...

I do think the Panthers can win this one...and I hope they do. I can't stand Eli/the Giants. This will surely be a good test for Moore...let's hope he keeps showing improvement and maybe learns to settle down earlier in the game.

Jennifer - two things for you. One, I passed your XO's to Smokey. He asked that I return the love ;)


Also, cool story...as I was leaving Brueggers Bagel this morning wearing my Panthers skull cap, as I opened the door to head out standing on the other side was Jerry Richardson. He saw my Panthers gear, said "Nice cap" to me, and I replied with a quick "Thank you sir!" Anyway, as a Panther fan I thought that was pretty cool!

The Reid said...

Should be a tough game but I think the Panthers have a good shot to go into the Meadowlands and end any hopes the Giants had at a playoff spot. James Anderson, Jon Beason, Chris Harris, Pep, and Co. will have another monster game and Matt Moore will play well enough for the Panthers to win 21-20.

MrBernz said...

Anonymous @ December 24, 2009 4:09 PM..... You should jump to another team. Only a hypocritical d ouche bag would hope their team loses games. You are a perfect example of a moron that would rather go 0-16 than go win a superbowl just so you get your way. I would bet you are 1 of the dummies that said the Panthers wouldnt win 2 games this season. Well you can go cry elsewhere because theyre going to win at least 1 more game, & i think Fox will be here longer than you are a fan. In fact, he already has been because you arent looking like much of a fan now & he is here still.

Anonymous said...

Scott is just putting this out there for the Panthers to topple. He's going with what common sense would say could happen, but in the back of his mind he knows this could be an addition to a breakout upset and "possibly hoping for it"?? Go Panthers

Anonymous said...

Who cares what your prediction is? Last week you were part of the bandwagon that predicted the Panthers to get clobbered! You and the rest of the world figured Carolina to loose by 17 points. Then Mat Moore took them to a 19 point victory. I believe thats a 36point spread. Your prediction means squat. Get another job.

Anonymous said...

I hope we lose the next 2 games on coaching blunders by Fox. I do hope the team plays close but lose to Fox's credit ,If Fox/Hurnia are back next year i'm taking the year of as a NFL fan I am SO SICK of those 2 and pick6(Jake)!

Jennifer said...

You would think with it being Christmas the ANON's still wouldnt be such BAH...HUMBUG's on here?

Hope everyone is enjoying their day, taking a break before I devour a piece of pecan pie. <:-).

To all the regs, that make my coming here as a true Panther fan throughly enjoyable...Happy Holidays..


I'm gonna take the Cats by 6....just saying!!!!

GO PANTHERS!!!!!



Ps...Curtis tell Smokey thanks for the lovin ...hope you got him bunches of doggie treats <-)

thewolverine77 said...

Panthers will be trying to play spoiler. But, the Panthers have been anything but consistent this year. I hope they win. But, I see a 7 point victory by the Giants.

Curtis Watkins said...

Oh yeah, Jennifer...he was given mucho mucho treats this year. By 11 am the boy had consumed Dentastix, Snausages, Canine Carry Outs, some real bacon and a blueberry pancake off my plate, and chicken jerkey treats. Wow, just writing that out I didn't realize how much stuff he really ate! No wonder by 1:00 he was passed out in front of the Christmas tree...


GO HEELS...take home that bowl trophy today. AND GO CATS...if we can't do anything else this year, let's see if Matt can string together a couple of good games and spoil something for those G Men.

Anonymous said...

Just don't get all the Jake Hate. Hope he comes back next year better than ever. How quickly we forget he led us to the SB and to several play off games. Jake is a great guy- has had a tough year =- doesn't deserve the hate

Anonymous said...

First of all the weather will be better this sunday than last sunday night. fair mild wind conditions and sunny. so cold will not affect moore. god i hate this paper and everyone who works for it. are you people so busy that you cant do your jobs or are you just too concerned with your newest head shot? youall suck merry fuckin christmas douche-bags

Anonymous said...

one more thing, the panthers run the giants straight to there new stadium. 28-13

Anonymous said...

Well it looks like Mr. Fowler got his wish and the dismissal of Jake with a few other whiny crybabies while noone else got any blame. He is finished with the Panthers and will be picked up by another team for 2010.

Just remember what goes around ...

Elizabeth said...

My heart says we win this.

But my mind says we lose this week and win next week because 7-9 seems to always be the Panthers record.

Ghoul said...

Anonymous said...

Just don't get all the Jake Hate. Hope he comes back next year better than ever. How quickly we forget he led us to the SB and to several play off games. Jake is a great guy- has had a tough year =- doesn't deserve the hate

December 26, 2009 7:10 PM



You know Terry Bradshaw WON 4 Super Bowls for Pittsburgh, why isn't he still the QB for them? Players are not the same forever, its time to move on.