Can the Giants take care of business in Munich?
The New York Giants will take on the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, as a part of the NFL’s international series this week.
This is a battle between 2-7 teams who are searching for signs of growth in their team in the middle of disappointing seasons. The Panthers got a glimpse of what they’ve long hoped to see from Bryce Young last week against the New Orleans Saints, while the Giants were able to mount an offense against the Washington Commanders.
The Giants come into this game as heavy favorites (6.5 points, per FanDuel sports book, which is heavy by their standards) but can they take care of business?
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Tony DelGenio
The matchup everyone has been waiting for. When the Giants have the ball, it will be the resistible force against the movable object. The Giants’ offensive woes are well known, but they did move the ball and even score touchdowns against Washington. The Panthers have possibly the NFL’s worst defense, having given up at least 34 points five times and more yards than any other team. They pressure the quarterback about half as often as the Giants do, mostly Jadaveon Clowney and Charles Harris, but they have a solid secondary led by Jaycee Horn. Their interior run defense is soft as a pillow, though, so don’t be surprised to see Brian Daboll come out running the ball a lot like last Sunday. With a bye coming up, though, this would be a natural time to make a change at quarterback if the Giants lose, so I expect Daboll to give Daniel Jones chances to take shots downfield as the game goes on to inform such a decision.
On the other side of the ball the matchup is more even. Bryce Young has been a nightmare No. 1 pick, but he had his best game of the year last Sunday in defeating the Saints. Still, 3 TDs and 6 INTs on the season isn’t too scary. Young has no elite receivers, but rookies Xavier Legette (pick No. 32, 4 TDs) and free agent Jalen Coker have been good, as has ex-Steeler Diontae Johnson (3 TDs). The Panthers do have a good offensive line, including 2022 draftee Ikem Ekwonu, veteran Taylor Moton, and free agent Robert Hunt, and an effective running game led by Chuba Hubbard with which to attack Giants’ own soft run defense.
May the worst team get Cam Ward.
Pick: Giants
Chris Pflum
I think I’m going to pick a nice Munich dunkel as the winner for this game. Wait… What do you mean 9:30 a.m. is too early for that? If we’re going to inflict this game on the German people we can at least support them in spirit (so to speak).
Okay, I can already hear Ed glaring at me in disapproval. Fiiiine.
This is a game the Giants SHOULD win, and probably comfortably. They’re a better coached and more talented team than the Panthers.
But, and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, the Giants should be wary of a trap game. They’re coming off of a tough loss to a division rival and have a much-needed week off looming. Not to mention, Daniel Jones will be without the player with whom he’s always had the greatest rapport in Darius Slayton.
The Panthers are relying heavily on young players in Bryce Young, Xavier Legette, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jalen Coker, and (potentially) Jonathan Brooks. That’s typically a disadvantage and should be so against Shane Bowen’s defense. However, that also means theres a lot of unknowns and potential for variance that could catch the Giants off guard.
And personally, I’m not sure that this isn’t a pyrrhic victory for whoever wins, and a victory costing the team in the long run.
For the purposes of this piece, I’m going to pick the Panthers even though I expect the Giants to win — mostly because Ed really doesn’t like it when we’re all picking the same team.
In all honestly, I’m expecting a fugly game where the only real winners are the NFL’s accountants.
Pick: Panthers
Nick Falato
The New York Giants are not a good football team this year, but they are much better than the Carolina Panthers. The Giants’ roster is better on both sides of the football and New York should harass Bryce Young with its pass rush. Carolina’s defense is forced to use BASE personnel as much as possible because their sub-package defense is so beat up and ineffective against the run. The Panthers allow the most points and most yards and can’t stop teams on third down or in the red zone. The Giants should win this game and cover comfortably, but we unfortunately understand how this Giants’ team loves to make things difficult. Still, I’m going with the Giants.
Pick: Giants
David Hartman
Hello good people of Germany, it’s time for an NFL game on your soil, [putting on announcer voice] soooo let’s get ready to rumble! In this corner, the Giants! They’re 2-7, and are favored in a game for the first time since Week 2 of the 2023 season. In the other corner, the Panthers! They’re also 2-7, finished with the worst record in the NFL last season, and still haven’t been favored in a game since 2022! So I’ll apologize now in German: Es tut mir lied.
The Giants showed me something in the second half of last week’s loss to the Commanders, and I’m picking them to win this week. Daniel Jones —who could be making one of his last starts as a Giant—shook off the cobwebs and played his best half of the season, and he should have an easier time of it this week, against Carolina’s 32nd-ranked defense, which allows almost 400 yards per game. They’re also ranked dead last against the run at a shade under 160 yards per game, and I think Big Blue will be able to establish the run early with Tyrone Tracy, Jr., setting up success with play-action passing and runs from Jones. The Panthers have been playing better and are coming off a win, and this is certainly a winnable game for them, so the Giants need to not let up. I don’t think they will, I think their pass rush and secondary will give Bryce Young a hard time, and I don’t see Carolina breaking 20 points.
Pick: Giants
James Hickey
I stared at the computer for five minutes, thinking of what to say about this game. And this is what I believe: This will be the last game that Daniel Jones wins as a Giant.
I don’t see Jones playing again after Thanksgiving, for a bunch of reason that Ed touches on here — the cap, self-perseverance by the coach and the general manager, just time to turn the page for good. And I don’t believe they will beat the Bucs or walk into Dallas and get a win to keep the longest of long shots playoff dream alive.
But in Germany on Sunday, the Giants are just the better team on both sides of the ball. I will take my chances with Daboll and Bowen against a first year coach going back to a quarterback he really doesn’t believe in. Plus, they have the best play makers on both sides of the ball — and that includes the quarterback.
Pick: Giants
Valentine’s View
These teams have equally awful 2-7 won-loss records. I have a hard time, though, believing that the Giants are as bad as the Panthers.
Carolina has not been good on either offense or defense:
Points For: 147 (16.3/g) 29th of 32
Points Against: 293 (32.6/g) 32nd of 32
The Giants are the worst offense in the NFL, but have been better defensively:
Points For: 139 (15.4/g) 32nd of 32
Points Against: 202 (22.4/g) 15th of 32
The Giants have a -63 point differential, which is obviously not good. It pales, though, next to Carolina’s league-worst -146 point differential.
The Giants played one of their better offensive games of the season last week against the Washington Commanders. Maybe they can build on that against a bad Carolina defense.
What it comes down to, though, is that I just have to believe the Giants are good enough to beat the Panthers.
Pick: Giants
