That outcome that stored them in a three-way tie for first place with Washington and Philadelphia with three video games remaining to find out their destiny this season. That’s why Peyton Manning has five of those trophies.
Advertisement
The preseason favorites, a team that seemed poised to lock down the top spot in our rankings for the whole season has hit a bump in the road lately.
Fantasy Impact: His status for Week 15 against the Giants is now “unclear” and the Panthers are expected to “Err on the side of caution” with Stewart.
The Panthers magic carpet ride of a season continues to roll, this time making a stop at Metlife Stadium. Panthers QB Cam Newton should enjoy clean pockets, much like he did last week against the Falcons.
Rivera can afford to joke around a bit when it comes to the health of his starting running back, as the undefeated Panthers have punched their ticket to the postseason and are going to get one of the two first-round byes in the NFC.
The patron saint of the Meadowlands, Bill Parcells, long ago told us that you are what your record says you are. HC Ron Rivera chose to keep him out so as to not aggravate the injury further.
Lynne Sladky/AP Eli Manning should have plenty of time to throw the ball against the Panthers. From the looks of their record, it’s pretty damn obvious that winning games is exactly what this quarterback and his team are focused on. But then again, that’s why they don’t play the games on paper – they play them inside your TV. He in fact hasn’t played in Carolina’s last six games. It helps to have the second-ranked running game in the National Football League (141.9 YPG), but this is Newton’s coming-out party. There’s renewed hope that cornerback Charles Tillman can come back from a knee injury that’s forced him to miss the last four games. And they didn’t make a change at quarterback. The Giants defense sucks ass this year. Giving players, who have been beaten up all season, a week or two of rest before the playoffs could make all the difference in the world. The Panthers are the better team. And though, I never realized how sensitive Carolina fans were until their team got really good, I want to make clear that this isn’t a diss. It’s a near statistical certainty. “I’m excited about it. It’s one of those things where we said when the time’s right and Jonathan needs a break [Artis-Payne will get an opportunity], but Jonathan just kept rolling and rolling”. They face the Giants this week, and we all know how NY likes to wreck ideal seasons. “But I don’t know what I’m going to do”. But I can just hear the postgame soundbites, should the upset come to pass. “The Panthers brought it on themselves!” NY doesn’t have a great defense, which bodes well for Newton having a big game.
Robert Weintraub is the author of the books No Better Friend: One Man, One Dog, and their Extraordinary Tale of Courage and Survival in WWII, The Victory Season and The House That Ruth Built.
Advertisement
“This is a big opportunity for Cameron”, Rivera said, via ESPN.com.
