New York Looks To Get Back On Track As They Visit Carolina
After losing at home to New Orleans a week ago the New York Giants return to the road as they visit Carolina where hopefully they can get back in the win column while Carolina will look to win their second straight on Sunday.
New York who is a member of the NFC East comes into the game with a record of 1-3 and is last in their division while Carolina who is a member of the NFC South comes into the game with a record of 2-1 and is second in their division. “according to http://www.espn.com/nfl/standings
As for the New York’s previous game, As stated above they lost to New Orleans,
For the second week in a row, the Giants got off to the fast start they were looking for and scored on their opening possession. Unlike in Houston, though, the offense didn’t build on the momentum, not scoring again until a field goal with 2:02 remaining in the third quarter. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*Eli Manning (31-for-41, 255 yards, one touchdown, one lost fumble) led a 10-play, 75-yard drive to open the game, capped by a two-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who had the clinching score in Week 3, on third-and-goal. With the throw, Manning moved into sole possession of seventh place on the NFL’s all-time touchdown list with 343. He was tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton heading into Sunday. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*Manning, who was sacked three times, completed passes to seven different players, but wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was kept quiet with seven receptions for 60 yards. Rookie running back Saquon Barkley, the second overall pick in the draft, had 10 carries for 44 yards, including a one-yard flip into the end zone with 3:44 left in the game. He also had five catches for 43 yards. Shepard had 10 catches on 10 targets. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*Second-year running back Wayne Gallman accounted for the first turnover of the game, getting the ball stripped by P.J. Williams immediately after catching a pass. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the 2017 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, scooped it and took it 37 yards down to the Giants 13. Manning forced Lattimore out of bounds, which ended up saving four points as New Orleans eventually settled for a field goal. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*The Giants made two changes to their offensive line last week, which carried over to Sunday. After Jon Halapio suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 2, John Greco, who played in relief in Dallas, started at center. And then coach Pat Shurmur made the call to replace Ereck Flowers with Chad Wheeler at right tackle. These moves came after an offseason in which the Giants broke in new starters at all five positions. From left to right, the lineup of Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Greco, Patrick Omameh and Wheeler remained the same for Week 4. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE:
*The Saints entered Sunday averaging 34.7 points per game, but the Giants held them in check early by forcing them to settle for four field goals in the first half. While the Giants limited the Saints to two-for-six in the red zone, the third downs caught up with them in the fourth quarter. Drew Brees orchestrated a 14-play, 74-yard scoring drive, which running back Alvin Kamara finished off with a four-yard touchdown run to extend the Saints’ lead to 26-10 with 6:47 left in the game. Kamara added to it again with a 49-yard touchdown run with 2:06 remaining for his third score of the day. Coming into Week 4, the Saints scored an NFL-high 48 points in the fourth quarter, 17 more than anybody else. They had 14 on Sunday. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*The Giants fared better than most against wide receiver Michael Thomas, who had the most receptions (38) by a player in his team's first three games of a season in league history. Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins traveled with Thomas for much of the game, helping to limit him to four catches for 47 yards. Safety Landon Collins (14) and linebacker Alec Ogletree (12) both had double-digit tackle totals “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*The Giants knew the importance of getting pressure up the middle against the 6-foot Brees, and that’s exactly what rookie defensive tackle B.J. Hill did on a third-down play late in the first quarter. The third-round pick took Brees down for his second career sack, forcing the Saints to settle for a field goal. Hill registered his first in last week’s game victory in Houston. However, that was the Giants’ only sack of the game and just the fifth of the season. Only Oakland had fewer sacks entering Sunday. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
Outside linebacker Olivier Vernon (ankle) missed his fourth consecutive game to start the season, while cornerback Eli Apple (groin) sat out his second straight since getting injured in Week 2 in Dallas. Connor Barwin and B.W. Webb started in their place, respectively. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS:
*Taysom Hill, a third-string quarterback/special teams ace/kickoff returner/read-option threat for the Saints, pulled off a successful fake punt on fourth-and-two in Giants territory midway through the first quarter. Hill took the direct snap and found defensive back Justin Hardee for a 10-yard gain. Keeping the drive alive, the Saints went on to kick a field goal. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*Wide receiver Jawill Davis handled the primary return duties two days after the Giants called him up from the practice squad following running back Jonathan Stewart’s placement on injured reserve. Davis, 6-0 and 197 pounds, was signed by the Giants on May 10. He caught three passes for 23 yards in the preseason, was released on Sept. 1 and signed to the practice squad the following day. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*Kicker Aldrick Rosas remained perfect on the season, converting his lone field goal attempt from 33 yards. He is eight-for-eight this season. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
*The Giants got a spark of late life on a Saints kickoff return following Barkley’s touchdown. Ted Ginn Jr. muffed it at the goal line and had to jump on it deep in Saints territory. Brees completed a long pass on the next play, leading to Kamara’s long touchdown run to end any hopes of a late rally. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
INACTIVES: NYG – OLB Olivier Vernon (ankle), CB Eli Apple (groin), TE Evan Engram (knee), WR/KR Cody Latimer (knee), RB Jonathan Stewart (foot, placed on injured reserve), CB Antonio Hamilton (groin), QB Kyle Lauletta, C Evan Brown. NO – LB Manti Te’o (knee), C Cameron Tom, C Will Clapp, DL Mitchell Loewen, TE Dan Arnold, DT Jay Bromley, DE Trey Hendrickson.
LINEUP CHANGES: NYG – Connor Barwin for Vernon at WILL, B.W. Webb for Apple at LCB, Scott Simonson for Engram at TE. NO – Alex Anzalone for Te’o at MLB. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-saints-pull-away-from-giants
Unlike New York, Carolina won their previous game as they defeated Cincinnati,
Running back Christian McCaffrey earned his first career 100-yard rushing game while quarterback Cam Newton accounted for four touchdowns to help propel the Panthers past the Bengals 31-21 Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
An interception of Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton by defensive end Efe Obada - in his first career game - late in the third quarter set up a 5-yard charge up the middle by Newton for his second rushing touchdown of the contest, putting the Panthers up 28-14. On the ensuing drive, Dalton would find wide receiver Tyler Boyd in the endzone to pull Cincinnati within seven heading into the fourth quarter. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
After a devastating sack on Dalton by Obada with under four minutes remaining, rookie cornerback Donte Jackson nabbed his third career interception - his second of the game - to give Carolina the ball. A 40-yard Graham Gano field goal would put away the visiting team and secure a Carolina victory heading into the bye week. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
"I really appreciate the way the guys took last week and practiced and prepared themselves for this game," head coach Ron Rivera said. "There has been a lot of tough things going on here in the Carolinas, and I just really appreciate the way they focused. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
"It was kind of a nice deal for our guys to go on break with a win." “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
Newton expressed his outlook as the team heads into its short break. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
"When you've got a team playing confident like we're playing, it makes us hard to beat but as we go into this bye week, we know we can't let off the pedal," Newton said. "We have to mend up, get buys back, get guys healthy, keep guys healthy that are healthy and be ready to go when we get back." “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
He finished 15-of-24 for 150 passing yards with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
After leading the team in receiving yards the first two games, and tying a single-game franchise record with 14 receptions against Atlanta, McCaffrey dominated a Bengals defense that had been stopping the run well through two games. He ended his career day with 184 rushing yards on 28 carries, and two receptions for 10 yards. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
"As an offense, we just want to move the ball forward. However that is, in the pass game or in the run game, whatever's working we're going to stick to it," McCaffrey said. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
Rivera felt that McCaffrey's ability to run between the tackles has been somewhat overlooked. "His ability to run the ball inside, he doesn't get enough credit for it. I thought some of the running plays inside were excellent," Rivera said. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
Carolina's offense earned 11 rushing first downs and outrushed Cincinnati as a team 230-66. Backup running back Giovani Bernard netted 61 yards on 12 carries while Boyd chipped in the other five. Dalton finished the night 29-of-46 for 352 yards and two touchdowns, and four interceptions. Wide receiver A.J. Green - Dalton's favorite target - left the game in the third quarter and didn't return. He ended with five receptions for 58 yards while Boyd posted a game-high 132 receiving yards. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
The Bengals struck first in an action-packed first half. Following back-to-back defensive holding penalties, Bernard would end an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
On the Panthers' second drive, a pair of rushes from McCaffrey ignited the offense and the crowd. McCaffrey recorded a 13-yard run for a first down and then exploded for a 45-yarder - the longest of his career - to put Carolina in scoring position. Newton would go on to take it to the house on a 2-yard run to end the nine-play, 75-yard drive. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
The Bengals' attempt to answer would be halted near the end of the first quarter after Jackson picked off Dalton on a pass to wide receiver John Ross. The interception was Dalton's first of the season. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
The offense would capitalize by marching 67 yards and scoring on a 4-yard Newton pass to wide receiver Devin Funchess to put Carolina up 14-7 early in the second quarter. Midway through the second, Cincinnati would convert another 75-yard drive on a Dalton pass to tight end C.J. Uzomah to tie the game 14-14. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
A 24-yard Newton screen pass to running back C.J. Anderson would give the Panthers a 21-14 halftime lead, capping off the fourth 75-yard scoring drive of the first half. “according to https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-edge-bengals-31-21-to-improve-to-2-1
Kick-off is set for 1:00pm from Bank Of America Stadium. The game will be televised on Fox. “according to https://www.giants.com/schedule/