Andre Brown rushed for 113 yards when the New York Giants clobbered Carolina last year -- also in Week 3 of the regular season.
Some pregame notes and a prediction about Sunday's Giants-Panthers game in Charlotte:
Although they are not in the same division, the New York Giants seem to turn up during critical periods of the Carolina Panthers' history. Three quick examples:
1) Following the 2005 season, the Panthers throttled Eli Manning and the Giants, 23-0, at Giants Stadium in an NFC wildcard game. The Panthers became the first team that day to register a road playoff shutout in 25 years. Manning had three interceptions and only threw for 113 yards.
2) In 2008, in the next-to-last game of the regular season, the Giants edged Carolina, 34-28, in overtime, knocking the Panthers out of contention for the No.1 playoff seed.
3) Almost exactly a year ago, Manning and the Giants drilled Carolina 36-7 in a prime-time Thursday night game in Charlotte. Marty Hurney would later point to that game in particular as one of those that got him fired as Carolina's GM.
Now comes Sunday's game, which could be as significant as No.3 if it goes the wrong way. It is heavily rumored that coach Ron Rivera may not survive an 0-3 start -- that team owner Jerry Richardson could get fed up and, along with general manager Dave Gettleman, fire Rivera during the upcoming bye week if the Panthers don't beat the Giants.
The pressure is on for both sidelines -- the Giants have started 0-2 as well. But if the Panthers want to guarantee that Rivera is here in October, they better beat New York.
-- Manning, of course, will go after Carolina's secondary. It wasn't too good even before four defensive backs went down last week and now is in even worse shape. He would love an outcome similar to last year's, when the Giants scored on their first four possessions and led 20-0 at halftime. But Manning has thrown an astonishing seven interceptions through two games -- at least three more than every other quarterback in the league.
-- I am writing a column for Sunday's newspaper about fourth down. In my research I stumbled across this fact: From the 2011 season on -- the Rivera era for Carolina -- the Panthers have gone for it on fourth down the fewest times in the NFL save for one team. That one team? You can probably guess -- John Fox's Denver Broncos.
-- If I were the Panthers, I'd get Chase Blackburn in the game for some snaps at Jon Beason's weakside position. It couldn't hurt. Beason is trying to play himself back into condition but the results have not been pretty thus far.
-- Feel free to skip this prediction, because I have missed the outcome of the Panthers' first two games this season already, in both cases picking the Panthers to win. For some reason -- it must be my inherent stubbornness -- I'm going to do it again. Carolina 27, N.Y. Giants 20.
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22 comments:
Until we get Jerry to spend some money and quit making money off of mediocre football things will not change (read Forbes article about Panthers). Jerry is a business guy who could care less about winning. It's about money. That's why we have Rivera
I like your prediction, Scott. We need this one. Go Black Cats!
This feels like deja vu from last year. I live in Spain and watching the beatings from here in the A.M. Doesn't make it any easier
People like "Anonymous 9:45" are just pure ignorance.
Jerry Richardson spends every penny he is allowed by salary cap rules to spend on players, and Rivera, while not making $5 million per year, is still very well-paid. Jerry did not hire Rivera because he would work for cheap, he hired Rivera because he (and Hurney) thought Rivera was a good coach. Period.
I have had plenty of gripes about the way Mr. Richardson has run the team, the worst one over his hiring his son Mark over Bill Polian for president. Jerry learned, though, and fired both sons (the late Jon, ironically, had done in my opinion an outstanding job). And, at this point, I think I can safely say that I agree with a majority of people that Rivera is not a good coach.
In the scheme of things, Jerry isn't pinching a million or two on a coach's salary when he has player salaries of ~$150 million. To claim that he is is just, well, ignorant.
Now does Jerry have a good eye for talent - both managerial and player? It seems not. He has had some pretty bad picks in coaches, presidents, and GM's, and they have in return had some pretty bad picks in players.
But Jerry Richardson's mistakes are not because he's "cheap" and only cares about money. I don't think that there is any owner in the league who wants to win more than Jerry Richardson does. He isn't that young, he already has plenty of money, and there's probably nothing he wants more than a ring before he dies.
No, he's made more than his share of mistakes getting there. But he wants to win and he is not cheap.
The Panthers will:
A: Score just enough on offense to lose a close one.
B: Give up just enough on defense to lose a close one.
C: Get Blown Out.
Oooh, oooh, Pick C, Pick C!
Anonymous @10:10....BINGO!!! Also,who cares what scott thinks or who he picks....his track record is wrong,wrong,wrong!!
Scott,what is your record making your picks? You never have any write-ups about either team,and always pick the panthers,so what's the sense? Like the cats,you have probably only had 4 winning seasons!
WHY HAS SCHULA ESCAPED CRITICISM? WE NEED A CHUDZINSKI PLUS A BACK THAT CAN GIVE US 2-3 YARDS ON 3D DOWN
Jerry Does NOT spend money on players. He offers high contracts to expiring players he know will never see half the pay. Only those that know nothing aboutr the game could claim otehrwise. The Big Rat is the worst owner in pro sports. He is a snake oil salesman who robbed the tax payer to fund his little cash cow. Run this bum out of town, and let him take his "franchise QB" with him.
Your a typical home town reporter. Cruz will be doing the salsa all over the endzone.
EuroCat, one has to look no further than the 2010 season to see that Richardson cares about himself, his profits, and making a point more than winning. He cut over $40 MILLION in salaries to make a labor point before the lockout, leaving the team hopelessly outmatched. And for their trouble, what did we fans get? An increase in ticket prices. Richardson is a clown, and the sooner he's out of the picture, the sooner we can go about getting this franchise back to prominence.
EuroCat,
Richardson's track record is not a good one. With exception of Polian and Seifert, he has always gone for the "up and comer" or unorthodox approach and paid at the low end of the NFL standard. While none of this may be cheap by your standards, it is cheap by NFL standards. In fact, it shows questionable business savvy. Why spend all that money on players, if you're not going to support them with your best effort on the front office and coaching staff?
I sincerely hope you're right, Scott. But I just logically can't see the results you predict. Giants are reeling and this is a "get better" game for Eli Manning, who can't wait to pick on the Panther's torn up secondary. And if it's a close one or if the Panthers some how get an early lead on them, Manning is one of the better QB's in coming back and winning in crunch time. Panthers have done nothing but wilt in crunch time.
I wonder how new coach Andy Reid is doing with the Kansas City Chiefs?
Giants 30
Panthers 16
Rivera fired Monday morning.
Shula iterim coach
Finish 7-9
Guys it just does`nt add up...unless it was done by design,Please help me to understand the moves we have made over the years, I watched year after year of the Saints owner not put any serious money on a coach or his team and then something happened with the hiring of Sean Payton this guy was a great offensive coordinator from the giants,,,creative mind that understood he could not get it done with only 1 receiver like we have been trying forever...then he brings in a brilliant minded defensive coordinator and they dominate....how do I and everyone else see this take place while we give Dellhomme a 45 million contract after blowing a playoff game 5 int,s...1 fumble and we turn around the following year and give him a 45 million contract?????Heck I was at the time when Breez was availble wanting us to sign Breez and drop Dellhomme.Now look at the receiver problem we`ve had for years and maybe its finally going to be addressed by Ginn ??? If someone had to diagnose the problems of this franchise and why we`ve been so unsuccessful it doesn`t take a rocket scientice to figure out,YOU CANNOT GET TO THE SUPERBOWL IN THIS LEAGUE WITH MEDIOCRA PLAY, OR EVEN THE PLAYOFFS This is why I ? is Cam good enough. are we settling again for a different type of mediocra play. you must be an accurate passer in this league to be and have a playoff contention team. Ive seen teams that have a scrambling QB look great till they reach the playoffs and a top 5 defense takes away the run and now that QB is 1 dimentional and usually gets shut down...I seriously believe if the TRANSFORMER HAD NOT OF BLOWN IN LAST YEARS SUPERBOWL 49ERS WOULD OF GOTTEN BLOWN OUT WORST THAN THAT transformer....Here Me....
Panthers have a great defensive line, a good core of linebackers, and a very weak defensive backfield. Giants will score through the air. Panthers have good running backs, a good receiving core, an uncertain QB, and an inconsistent O line. Panthers need to play quickly on offense and get more balls to Ginn and Hixon. Giants 33 Panthers 28.
Think the Panthers can beat the Jets? If not 0-16!
Go Giants!!! :)
Prediction Giants 49 Panthers 10
The Panthers score 27 points? This offense? Come on man!
Guys look at what Andy Reid has accomplished with that Chiefs team ....unbelievable when you get a coach that gives his team the best chance of winning..He must have a top notch (COMPLETE) coaching staff that does there homework. I know Rivera is a top notch defense coordinator he`s proved it in the past with other teams.
Until Cam gets rid of the towel over the head ,the chewing gum and idiotic grin and decides to take pro football seriously we are going to getting the same thing week after week.
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