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Panthers-Giants Preview

Sep 8, 2010 - 8:45 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

The New York Giants are hoping for a better start in their $1.6 billion stadium against the Carolina Panthers than the finish they provided in Giants Stadium against the same opponent.

Both teams went 8-8 last year and have made some notable changes as they bid to improve, starting with Sunday's opener at the new Meadowlands Stadium.

The stadium - co-owned by the Giants and Jets - will take center stage during Week 1 in the NFL. After the Giants play the first game in the new facility, the Jets host the Ravens on Monday night.

The Giants should be especially motivated for this game, given how their 273rd and final game in Giants Stadium turned out Dec. 27. With New York clinging to hopes of reaching the postseason for the fifth straight year, Carolina got 206 yards rushing from Jonathan Stewart and three touchdown passes from Matt Moore in a 41-9 rout.

"We know what happened to us last year when they came in here and we played in the game that meant so much to us," running back Brandon Jacobs said. "We ended up stubbing our toes. We get another opportunity in the same type of situation so guys in the locker room are ready, and just waiting for it to get here."

New York won the Super Bowl three years ago thanks to a pass rush that produced a league-high 53 sacks, but that figure dropped to 32 and a tie for 18th in 2010. The Giants gave up 427 points - the third-highest total in the league and the most by the franchise since the 1966 team gave up 501 and finished 1-12-1.

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was fired, with former Buffalo defensive coordinator Perry Fewell replacing him. A beleaguered secondary is looking to improve with the additions of safeties Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant as well as a healthy Kenny Phillips, who missed the final 14 games of 2009 with a knee injury.

Fewell has helped ease tensions with former Pro Bowl end Osi Umenyiora, who has accepted a reserve role due to his struggles in helping to stop the run.

That will be a key against Carolina, which features the tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Stewart. Both backs gained more than 1,100 yards last year, and they're the primary focus for New York.

"This is a team that has an outstanding run game, period," coach Tom Coughlin said. "They have an outstanding scheme, outstanding blockers, outstanding runners, depth. Sure, it's a concern."

New York's ground attack stalled in 2009, averaging 114.8 yards per game to rank 17th in the league. Jacobs fell well short of a third straight 1,000-yard season with 835 yards and five touchdowns - 10 fewer than his 2008 total - and it appears that Ahmad Bradshaw will be the starter.

Eli Manning picked up the slack with career highs of 4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns. Steve Smith finished third in the NFC with 1,220 yards receiving and caught seven touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl berth.

In comparison, it was a down year for Panthers receiver Steve Smith, who fell 18 yards shy of a fifth straight 1,000-yard season. Smith caught three of his seven touchdowns from Moore, who went 4-1 down the stretch and is the new starting quarterback, replacing the departed Jake Delhomme.

The questions for Carolina center around a defense that lost six players, including sacks leader Julius Peppers to Chicago. The preseason seemed to answer some of them, as the Panthers amassed 19 sacks in four games.

"The beauty of it is, everyone said, 'The Panthers don't have any guys. Everyone's gone. They're going to struggle,'" linebacker Jon Beason said. "I've seen everybody pick it up. It's been great. There are so many new faces, but we've really gelled."

Carolina has the youngest team in the league with an average age of 25 years, 233 days. The Panthers know the Giants will be out to avenge last year's defeat, but they feel they are ready for the challenge.

"I expect them to play very hard, very aggressive with a chip on their shoulder," Panthers receiver Smith said. "I expect that. I think that if you don't expect that, you're naive."