The Giants like to think of themselves as keeping elite company, but so far this season, as one of eight winless teams, they are consorting with the dregs of NFL society. Other than two games, nothing has been lost yet, but if they fail to beat the 0-2 Panthers on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, the season officially becomes unhinged.
“Every game is a must-win game. Being 0-2 right now is definitely not fun but I think we can turn it around,’’ said receiver Hakeem Nicks, excited to be playing in his hometown of Charlotte, N.C. “It’s only Week 3 right now, nobody should be hitting the panic button, at least not on this team.’’
The correct buttons haven’t been pushed yet. The Giants are minus-eight in turnover ratio, worst in the league. They are prolific in passing but pitiful in running. Their defense hasn’t caused any havoc up front, managing a paltry two sacks.
“It’s a challenge for all of us to get this right, right now,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said.
It was a cruelly difficult week for Coughlin, as on Monday night his younger brother, John, died unexpectedly after suffering a head injury from a fall. Tom Coughlin admitted to “an emotional tug of war’’ as he juggled personal and family grief with his football responsibilities. He will attend the funeral for his brother on Tuesday in upstate Waterloo.
“Hopefully,’’ Justin Tuck said, “we as a football team can kind of give him some joy this weekend.’’
A look inside the game:
BEST BATTLE
Panthers TE Greg Olsen vs. Giants LB Jacquian Williams
Tight ends usually do not lead their team in receiving, but Olsen is an exception, with 12 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown. He is a top target on third down. Williams has had a quiet start to the season, but he’s the best coverage linebacker on the Giants defense and has the ability to run with Olsen.
EARLY EXAM
This is the first time all that offseason work on dealing with mobile quarterbacks and the option offense will be put to use.
Cam Newton hasn’t run much yet — nine rushing attempts for 53 yards — but he certainly is a threat. Newton, in his third NFL season, has 1,500 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns.
Newton is the first true running quarterback to confront the Giants this season, but he won’t be the last. The Giants have two games apiece against Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III, along with Terrell Pryor and the Raiders on Nov. 10, and Russell Wilson and the Seahawks in mid-December.
“It will be a good test run for us for the weeks coming up,’’ defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said.
RISK AND REWARD
Eli Manning since 2011 is third in the NFL in passing plays of 25 yards or longer, with 80. He’s also third in interceptions with 38. The term “takes shots down the field’’ wasn’t invented for Manning, but he wholeheartedly embraces the philosophy. He says his goal entering the season was single-digit interceptions, but he already has an NFL-high seven, and the fewest he ever has thrown in a full season is 14 in 2009. He doesn’t play it safe, but this turnover barrage cannot continue as he faces a severely depleted Panthers secondary.
“If ever there’s a guy that has his feet firmly on the ground and seems to be able to handle the vicissitudes of the game and life, it’s that guy,’’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said. “He’s about as stable as you can go. Does it bother him? It’s killing him. If you get too many, does it get to a point where it affects and detracts from your confidence? I don’t care who you are, it does. But if there’s ever a guy that you’re not going to worry about or will take a long time before that happens, it’s him.’’
SIGNAL MAN
Quietly, third-year linebacker Spencer Paysinger has been elevated into a prominent role on defense. He was on the field for 71 of 74 snaps last week vs. the Broncos and, with Dan Connor gone for the season with a neck injury, Paysinger for the first time is making the defensive calls.
“He’s not playing like a young guy,’’ defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said. “He’s got all the confidence of a 10-year vet, and he’s obviously got all of the physical abilities so we have all the faith in him.’’
CORNER THE MARKET
The Giants re-signed Aaron Ross, after he spent a year in the NFL purgatory of Jacksonville, as an insurance policy. Well, here comes the payout. With Corey Webster sidelined with a late-week hip flexor, Ross gets his first start for the Giants since Super Bowl XLVI. Ross played well this summer and knows the defensive system. Plus, this is not a bad week to be down a cornerback, as the Panthers don’t spread the field with playmakers the way the Cowboys and Broncos did the first two weeks.
THE CHASE IS ON
The Giants would not have won Super Bowl XLVI without the exploits of Chase Blackburn, their cerebral middle linebacker. When Blackburn after last season became a free agent, there was no push to keep him and he signed with the Panthers. With Luke Kuechly entrenched in front of him, Blackburn this season is exclusively a special teamer. His insights surely will help prepare for his former team, considering Fewell has said Blackburn’s notes were more detailed than his own. Blackburn, a former special teams captain, also knows everything the Giants want to do on the return and coverage teams.
“You know who he is and what made him such a good player here, and obviously he sat in all of the meetings for a long time and he’s probably one of the smartest guys I’ve ever been around,’’ special teams coach Tom Quinn said.
PAUL’S PICK
If the Giants cannot summon up a solid performance, there will be doubts if they ever will. Hard to see the passing game slowed (look for Rueben Randle down the middle) and, although Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams are capable, this is not the Cowboys or Broncos offensive array.
GIANTS 27, PANTHERS 17