2012 NFL Picks: New York Giants @ Carolina Panthers Vegas Odds and Predictions – Free NFL Thursday Night Picks 9/20/2012: Two quarterbacks with contrasting styles but MVP potential will go head-to-head Thursday night when the New York Giants go on the road to face the Carolina Panthers. New York QB Eli Manning has a pair of Super Bowl wins under his belt, and he has established himself as one of the clutch pocket passers in the NFL. Meanwhile, Carolina’s Cam Newton has wasted little time becoming one of the best dual-threat QBs in the game thanks to his powerful arm and bulldozing running style. Both teams enter Thursday’s matchup 1-1 on the year, and with both sides playing in different but equally tough divisions in the NFC, another loss is far from ideal. Oddsmakers are expecting a tight one, and the defending champion Giants are 1 ½-point underdogs on the road.
These two teams have had similar strengths and weaknesses through two games in 2012. Putting points on the board hasn’t been a problem for either side, but stopping opponents from scoring has. That being said, there have been some differences. New York passing attack has been deadly, but its secondary has allowed a ton of yardage through the air, as well. Carolina, on the other hand, has one of the best running games in the NFL, but it is also allowing opponents to run for more than 150 yards a game. There will definitely be some interesting matchups at work in this matchup.
While Carolina’s rush defense has been awful, the Panthers do catch a break in Thursday’s game. New York’s ground game has been terrible the last two years, posting one of the worst yards per carry averages in the league. To make matters worse, starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw is out with a neck injury, along with starting offensive tackle David Diehl. Andre Brown will make his first start at running back, but if the Giants couldn’t get their ground game going when at full strength, it is doubtful that much will change with a first-time starter and a banged up offensive line.
At the very least, the Panthers should know what’s coming when the Giants have the ball on offense. Of course, stopping Manning and the passing attack is easier said than done. Manning is actually coming off a career-high 510 passing yards in the team’s win last weekend, but on a down note, he will be without one of his top targets in receiver Hakeem Nicks. As a result, look for Carolina to blanket receiver Victor Cruz and force Manning to beat them with tight end Martellus Bennet and rookie receiver Rueben Randle.
All the injuries on offense could definitely add up, but the more pressing issue for the Giants will be keeping Carolina from scoring. After all, New York allowed Tampa Bay to score 34 points last weekend and gave up 24 points to the Cowboys in the opener. In both games, the Giants’ banged-up secondary was scorched. With the speedy Steve Smith and the ever-improving Brandon LaFell to throw to, Newton should have plenty of opportunities to hit the big plays in the passing game that this offense has become known for. Granted, Newton has been known to struggle when teams get in his face, and the Giants still have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL. However, Carolina’s excellent offensive line and stellar running game should provide enough of a balance to keep the New York defensive front guessing.
The bottom line is that until New York can get healthy in the secondary, this team is going to have a tough time slowing down anyone. Against an offense that can be as dynamic as Newton wants it to be, the suspect pass defense of the Giants is going to be a huge issue. Normally, Manning and the high-powered passing attack can compensate like it did against the Buccaneers last weekend, but the injuries to Nicks, Bradshaw and Diehl will make the New York offense very one dimensional. Carolina’s defense isn’t a well-oiled machine by any means, but it can do just enough to allow Newton and the offense to pull out a win.
Prediction: Carolina Panthers (-1 ½) Cover the Spread
New York Giants @ Carolina Panthers
Line: Carolina -2.5
Total: Over/Under 50
Time: 8:20 PM EST on NFL Network
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