NFL: Panthers annihilate New York Giants in record-breaking win
Carolina Panthers annihilated the New York Giants yesterday in a Sunday showdown that saw the Panthers win 38-0.
Cam Newton tried to tell everyone last week that the Carolina Panthers were much better than an 0-2 team, and he and his teammates went out and proved it.
Newton threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, and Carolina sacked Eli Manning seven times as the Panthers handed Tom Coughlin his worst defeat as coach of the New York Giants.
The Panthers posted the most lopsided victory in franchise history, helping to eliminate questions about coach Ron Rivera’s job security entering the team’s bye week.
“I told a couple of guys we were past due for a win like this,” said Newton.
“A win like this boosts our ego and gives us that swagger we need.”
Defensive end Greg Hardy, who tied a career-high with three sacks in the first half, said if Rivera was feeling pressure to win he never let on to his players at practice.
“He basically came out and said, ‘You know what, (to heck with) me, I’m here for you guys,”‘ said Hardy.
“He said, ‘This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to win because we are a team not because of any of that.’ It makes you want to play 10 times harder for him.”
The Giants have plenty of concerns as they prepare for next Sunday’s game against unbeaten Kansas City.
Of the 161 teams that have started the season 0-3 since 1978, only five made the NFL playoffs, according to STATS.
Coughlin said after the game “Disappointed isn’t a strong enough word. I expected more.”
The Giants’ offensive line appears to be a mess.
New York came in with only 73 yards rushing in its first two games and managed just 60 yards Sunday, 40 coming after the Giants trailed 31-0.
Manning was under pressure all day and finished 12 of 23 for 119 yards with two interceptions. He couldn’t take advantage of an injury-depleted secondary.
The seven sacks tied a Carolina franchise record.
“We didn’t give ourselves a chance to go after that chopped-up secondary because they did an outstanding job up front,” said Coughlin.
“They ended up with seven sacks, and our quarterback must have gotten hit 20 times.”
Manning was also searching for answers.
“We have to find ways to slow down the pass rush,” he said.
“Whether that is running the ball with screens or getting the ball out quicker.”
The Panthers set the tone early, sacking Manning five times in the first quarter. They limited the Giants to 18 total yards — and just 1 yard passing — in the first half and took a 17-0 lead to the locker room.
The Panthers offence, feeding off the defence, finally got things rolling.
Offensive co-ordinator Mike Shula allowed Newton to run out of the read option, which helped open up an offence that had been mostly stagnant this season.
