The New York Giants met the Carolina Panthers in Week 16 last year and
earned their most lopsided home loss of the season.
spread odds betting odds handicapping pick nfl
As they prepare for Week One, they have taken a long,
bitter look at the game tapes from that December contest and they will be very
motivated to put forth a much better effort this week.
Carolina Panthers
@ New York Giants Matchup
NFL Football Betting Picks:
Bet the Spread
Bet the Total
Bet the MoneyLine
The Carolina
Panthers Can Win Because...:
They can run the ball as good as anyone. For the Carolina Panthers,
the math is simple: run the ball and they'll have a great chance to win.
Last year, they ran all over the Giants and that was
without the services of DeAngelo Williams. With him and Jonathan Stewart, the
Panthers have the best backfield tandem in the NFL. Sure, the Giants say
they've improved their run defense but until the live ammo is fired, no one
really knows.
On defense, the Panthers just want to throw the Giants
off their game. They have an underrated secondary that picked off Eli Manning
three times in the last meeting. If they can force them into a one-dimensional
attack by pressing the Giants wideouts on the line of scrimmage, it could be
another long day for the Giants.
Head coach John Fox likes the Panthers in the role of the
underdog. They seem to flop when they have big expectations but thrive when no
one believes in them. As we head to Week One, no NFL handicappers really believe this team
can be a power player in the NFC and they'll have the element of surprise on
their hand.
The New York
Giants Should Win Because...:
Revenge is on their minds.
The NY Giants played the Carolina Panthers on December 27th
last year, which was their final home game at the old Meadowlands. That resulted
in a 41-9 beat down at the hands of the Panthers and that loss is still fresh
on the Giants mind as they get set to open up their new stadium: the new
Meadowlands. Last year's matchup was a classic display of how important
turnovers are. The Giants coughed up five and the Panthers had a 24-0 lead at
halftime. That won't be the case this week.
The defense has made wholesale changes and they know that
stopping the Panthers is simple: stop the run. They have a new defensive
coordinator (Perry Fewell) and they have added some talent as well. Keith
Bulluck is in at linebacker, Deon Grant and Antrel Rolle at safety, Jason
Pierre-Paul at defensive end and Linval Joseph at defensive tackle. Jonathan
Stewart ran for a team-record 208 yards against the Giants last year and the
G-Men will be focused to shut him and DeAngelo Williams down.
The Giants should be in a much brighter mindset for this
game. Last year, they were out of the football playoff picture and mired in a tailspin
when the Panthers visited. Now they are full of optimism as the season begins.
Outlook &
Football Betting Prediction:
The Carolina Panthers were the first team in 14 seasons
to finish the preseason without an offensive touchdown. While the stars on the
team say not to worry - especially since Steve Smith and Jonathan Stewart
didn't play in the preseason - they could be rusty in Week One.
The Panthers are a simple team to figure out: stop the
run and don't give them extra opportunities. Some teams may overlook Carolina
this year but not the Giants. Stinging from a Panthers beat down last December,
the Giants will get their revenge in a big way with a win and cover. Bet this
game at Ladbrokes before it moves to a full touchdown as the Giants are a solid
play.
NFL Football Pick:
Giants -6.5