SORE SUBJECT: Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks will not play tonight at Carolina because of a sore foot. (
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Coach Tom Coughlin won’t be blowing into a fife and Eli Manning won’t be banging a drum. But this will be a battered and wounded Giants outfit tonight, as they limp into Bank of America Stadium without four key offensive players, including — shockingly — stud receiver Hakeem Nicks.
The Giants already knew they would face the Panthers without running back Ahmad Bradshaw (neck), right tackle David Diehl (knee) and No. 3 receiver Domenik Hixon (concussion). They expected to have Nicks, who Wednesday was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the devastation he wreaked on the Buccaneers (10 catches, career-high 199 yards, one touchdown).
Dealing with lingering soreness after breaking his right foot back in the spring, Nicks tried to run in Wednesday’s morning jog-through but couldn’t get much accomplished and didn’t even get on the charter flight after it was determined he couldn’t offer much with so little recovery time between games. Though he made play after play on Sunday, Nicks took a beating — on one play he had his right ankle stepped on — and the Giants figure 14 days between games should get Nicks back in the groove for the Sept. 30 date with the Eagles in Philadelphia.
The onus now is on the Giants defense to put the clamps on Cam Newton and the Panthers Thursday night and give Manning a chance to win a game without having to put up the huge numbers he did in roaring back to beat the Buccaneers, 41-34. Nicks was a high school star in Charlotte and was looking forward to this homecoming. The best he can hope for is that the Giants find a way to bring home a victory for him.
At least the Giants on defense are getting healthier, with cornerback Prince Amukamara expected to make his 2012 debut.
A look inside the game:
BEST BATTLE
Panthers CBs Chris Gamble vs. Giants WR Victor Cruz. More accurately, this will be Gamble and several of his teammates surrounding Cruz, who will be blanketed without Nicks posing a dual threat. That means Ramses Barden or rookie Rueben Randle is going to have to inflict some damage on Josh Norman, a rookie cornerback from Coastal Carolina who surprisingly unseated incumbent Captain Munnerlyn for a starting role.
BLUE NOT SEEING RED
The Giants are coming off a game in which they amassed 41 points and 604 total yards and yet they stunk inside the 20-yard line. They scored one touchdown on five red-zone trips and the one was not contested by the defense. It’s a failing that should have cost the Giants the game. Any time Lawrence Tynes hits four field goals and none is longer than 37 yards, it’s a sign that crashing into the end zone has become a far-too-difficult chore for the Giants.
“Hopefully, we keep getting down there, and next time, we’ll be able to score,’’ Manning said.
YES WE CAM
This is the first time the Giants get a shot at Cam Newton in a regular-season game. The former Heisman Trophy winner and 2011 NFL Rookie of the Year is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and leads the Panthers in rushing with 75 yards. He’s as big as a linebacker, as quick as a cornerback and as dynamic as they come. The Giants hope their athletic ability at linebacker with Michael Boley and Jacquian Williams can help nullify what Newton brings to the dance.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete,’’ defensive back Antrel Rolle said. “He’s a great kid, and he’ll present different challenges for us. We have to get our motors running. It’s going to be a long game, a long 60 minutes. ‘’
LITTLE BIG MAN
Fairly quietly, rookie Jayron Hosley last week made his first NFL start and in many ways he held up better than the more experienced cornerbacks around him. Even with the expected season debut of Amukamara, it will be Hosley again in a key role. He will be asked to play on the outside, in the slot and at times will line up across from Steve Smith, one of the most elusive receivers in the league, and also one of the few receivers Hosley (5-foot-10) can look in the eye.
“I’ve got to be ready,’’ he said. “There ain’t no rookie, no more rookie. You got your first start. That’s out of the way, so we’ve got to be ready.’’
GIVING ’EM THE BUM RUSH
Two games, one sack for Jason Pierre-Paul, none for Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. Two games, not a single quarterback hit for Tuck or Umenyiora and only one by JPP. Without fierce pressure from their defensive ends, the Giants will not be able to function.
“Quarterbacks are really getting the ball out fast, quick three-step or quick five-step,’’ defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. “They haven’t allowed us to rush them like we did in the past. We have to change our approach a little bit based on what the team’s doing.’’
ANDRE THE GIANT
No one should take anything away from what Andre Brown did last week (13 carries, 71 yards, one touchdown), filling in after Bradshaw suffered a neck injury. It was an astounding showing by Brown, considering he had kicked around more teams (five) than he had NFL rushing attempts (two) in four nondescript seasons. Now comes the hard part. Unlike the Buccaneers, the Panthers had the chance to watch film and prepare for Brown, making his assignment more difficult than the last one.
paul.schwartz@nypost.com