Week 3: NY Giants at Carolina Panthers

Welcome the Week 3 and perhaps my most painful post to date. The only good thing I can say about this game is that I was in the car on my way to my hometown, Birmingham, AL listening to it on the radio so I didn't have to actually watch Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers get destroyed 36-7 by Eli Manning and the NY Giants, but it was hard to listen to nonetheless.

- Going into this game it seemed like it might actually be a good one. If for no other reason than the NY Giants were missing key pieces of their offense with running back, Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks, both out with injuries. Add that to the fact that the Panthers offense looked great against the New orleans Saints last week, it sounded like we were all in for a hell of a game. Well it was a hell of a game, but maybe only for Giants fans. "Impress Him" Fact: Thursday Night was Eli Manning's 122nd consecutive NFL start, putting him in 3rd place behind Brett Favre and big brother, Peyton.

- The Giants scored on their opening drive and then went on to score on their next 3 possessions to take an early 20-7 lead. Andre Brown, who happened to be cut by the Panthers, had a career high 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Panthers defense, I assumed they played defense, had absolutely no answer for him. Brown told reporters that he thought about how the Panthers had cut him right before he walked into the Stadium and it lit a fire in him. I'll say. It was Brown's first NFL start and he put on a show. "Impress Him" Fact: The Carolina Panthers have allowed an opening game touchdown in every game this season.

- So the Giants found a fix for the running back hole, surely they will still struggle with the hole left in the passing game by Hakeem Nicks....wrong again. Ramses Barden filled in for the injured Nicks and also decided to have a career high game in his first NFL start. He had 9 receptions for 138 yards.

- Thursday night was Cam Newton's first career night game as an NFL quarterback....and he did not look ready for Prime Time. He threw 3 interceptions and was held to just 6 rushing yards, a week after rushing for a career high 71 yards. Newton was famous for second half comebacks when he led the Auburn Tigers to the National Championship in 2010, but any hope of tapping into that magic was lost when the Panthers fumbled the kickoff punt to open the second half and gave the ball back to the Giants. Cam did put one drive together and scored a 1 yard rushing touchdown. Aside: you have no idea how much it pained me to type this paragraph, so I am including this picture to make me (and Cam Newton) feel better.

Happier Days for Cam...and me. (Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated)

 I guess the jury is still out on Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, but the verdict is definitely in on Eli Manning and the Giants. While I may never see another cover of SI like the one to the left, Eli Manning is not giving up on his back to back Super Bowl dreams just yet.