The football gods clearly have something against the Giants this season. The Panthers improved to 14-0 on the season with a dramatic 38-35 win at MetLife Stadium, a game that featured some physical battles and dirty plays between Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Panthers corner Josh Norman.
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According to Norman, Beckham and the Giants played out of character. Then the Giants went on a roll to respond to 28 unanswered points from Carolina with a 28-0 run of their own. “We had an unbelievable great game today”.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) and Ted Ginn (19) celebrates after connecting for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in East Rutherford, … “But at the same time, we need to understand the circumstances and do a better job of keeping our composure”. “We didn’t do enough. You just got to be able to make sure it’s being done the correct way, and make sure it’s helping the team, and not… anything to harm the team”. “He’s got the maturity of a little kid”.
The Giants beat the 13-0 Broncos in 1998 and the 18-0 Patriots in the February 2008 Super Bowl, and they may be poised to take down another unbeaten this weekend. “We’ve definitely got to do better at that”.
One big difference: The 49ers won that game in overtime, and the Giants (6-8) saw their playoff chances take a huge hit by falling short.
Expectedly, afterward, each pointed fingers at the other on who was worse in foul play and why.
Newton now has five seasons with 3,000 pass yards and 500 rush yards. Newton passed for 340 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions, and added 100 yards rushing.
Manning’s scoring pass, a 14-yarder to Odell Beckham Jr. on fourth down, tied the score with 1:46 remaining. “It wasn’t easy out there”.
“You are a competitor”. Got it to 35-14, and the defense got some stops. “Like I said, the second man always gets caught”, Beckham said.
“The guy took a shot at me like I don’t know how many times”.
Newton giving away footballs to children after touchdowns has become one of the most loved traditions by Carolina Panthers fans. Jennings’ fumble led to the touchdown that gave the Panthers a 14-7 lead.
Finally, there were the penalties. Seattle (9-5) clinched a postseason spot with the win.
The league will review all of the WWE-style shenanigans, including what really did look like wrestling moves, that went on between Beckham and Norman during unbeaten Carolina’s 38-35 victory over NY on Sunday.
Beckham, who finished with 76 receiving yards and the score, said his actions were just part of the game. “People do from time to time drop the ball”.
Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul made his presence felt, getting his first sack of the season, which likely took a large weight off his chest.
“Nah, I’m going to leave that to Josh”, Tillman replied.
Coughlin admitted he considered removing Beckham from the game so the second-year pro could clear his head and calm down. “A matter of fact, it was a strong consideration”. But it didn’t happen.
Earholing Norman should have been the last straw, for both Tom Coughlin-Beckham was actively hurting the Giants at that points-and for referee Terry McAulay’s crew, which had let things get out of hand from the very first drive and watched them disintegrate from there.
“I’m not willing to deal with the penalties”. “I’m out there to win the football game”. He was not interested in discussing his game-long tussle with Norman. He said Beckham had made “great progress” in that area in the past year. “It’s what we’ve been dealing with all season as far as finishing games. It’s kind of been the way of our season”.
The Panthers would secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs if Arizona loses Sunday night at Philadelphia. But the sting of this loss will linger.
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“But I didn’t. At that point in time, my mind was involved in something else”, Coughlin said.
