New York Giants (2-7) vs. Carolina (2-7) at Munich, Germany
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EST, NFL Network.
BetMGM Odds: Giants by 5.
Against the spread: Giants 3-6, Panthers 2-7.
Series record: Panthers lead 7-6.
Last meeting: Giants beat the Panthers 19-16 on Sept. 18, 2022, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Last week: Giants lost to Commanders 27-22; Panthers beat Saints 23-22.
Giants offense: overall (26), rush (19), pass (23), scoring (32)
Giants defense: overall (18), rush (28), pass (9), scoring (15)
Panthers offense: overall (30), rush (25), pass (30), scoring (29)
Panthers defense: overall (32), rush (32), pass (25), scoring (32)
Turnover differential: Giants: minus-4; Panthers: minus-7.
Giants player to watch
QB Daniel Jones: The much-maligned quarterback threw two touchdowns and ran for one Sunday. His 76.9% completion rate and 119.7 passer rating were his highest of the season. The 27-year-old also ran seven times for 54 yards and he now faces the NFL’s worst defense.
Panthers players to watch
WR Xavier Legette. The rookie first-round pick has four touchdown receptions in his past six games and a celebration to match, where he pretends to ride a horse around the field. Legette is a big-body receiver with decent speed and good hands. But his route-running still needs polish. That said, with Diontae Johnson traded and Adam Thielen still trying to return from a hamstring injury, Legette is the closest thing the Panthers have to a No. 1 receiver.
Key matchup
Giants edge rusher Brian Burns vs. Panthers LT Brady Christensen: Burns will surely be motivated to have a big game against his former team after the Panthers didn’t give him a long-term contract extension and wound up trading him to the Giants this past offseason. Burns has five sacks this season, but none in the past two weeks. He will face backup Brady Christensen, who will make his second straight start filling in for the injured Ickey Ekwonu.
Key injuries
Giants: WR Darius Slayton sustained a concussion late Sunday and could miss the game. P Jamie Gillan is expected to play for the first time since pulling a hamstring before the Seattle game on Oct. 6. …PK Graham Gano (Week 2, IR) is practicing again and may return this week. LG Greg Van Roten (shoulder) is on the injury report. … Panthers RB Jonathan Brooks was activated to the 53-man roster after three weeks of practicing and could make his NFL debut. Chuba Hubbard would still start and be the primary back.
Series notes
The Giants have won the past two matchups. … This matchup could go a long way toward determining the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft.
Stats and stuff
New York has lost four straight. … This will be the Giants’ fifth trip to Europe and second to Germany, where they played a preseason game in Berlin against San Diego in 1994. They have played three regular-season games in London, the most recent in 2022 against Green Bay. They are 4-0 overseas. … New York rushed for 164 yards against Washington, 11 fewer than its season high against Seattle. … Rookie WR Malik Nabers had a game-high nine receptions and now has 55 catches. He is the second player in NFL history with at least 50 receptions in his first seven career games. Puka Nacua of the Rams had 58 last year. … Tight ends Chris Manhertz and rookie Theo Johnson caught their first TDs as Giants Sunday. … New York leads the league with 35 sacks. DT Dexter Lawrence is second individually with nine. …The Giants have not intercepted a pass in eight consecutive games, extending a franchise record. … Irish kicker Jude McAtamney made his NFL debut Sunday and kicked a field goal and extra point. He will kick if Gano can’t. … QB Bryce Young gets his third straight start for Carolina after leading a fourth-quarter touchdown drive last week against the Saints. … RB Chuba Hubbard has had a strong season and ran for 72 yards and two TDs last week. … Carolina’s 10 sacks are tied for the second fewest in the league.
Fantasy tip
Rookie TE J’Tavion Sanders is emerging as a much-needed option in the passing game. He had 72 yards on four catches last week, including one where he hurdled a defender. It’s only a matter of time before he finds the end zone with his first career TD catch.
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