NFL

CATCHING UP: GIANTS

The Panthers have an explosive ground game, but RB Brandon Jacobs said he believes the Giants still have the best in the NFL.

“Let me get something straight. We are still No. 1 in the league,” Jacobs said.

“The last couple of games we played haven’t been very good and we are still No. 1 in the league. No matter how many yards another team gets we were that far ahead. So in saying that, we are going to get out here on Sunday and do what we can do to win this game.”

CATCHING UP (PHOTOS)

The reason the Giants running game has fallen off in the past two weeks is Jacobs’ injured knee. He was forced out of the Eagles game when he fell hard on his injured knee then missed the Cowboys game as the injury persisted.

Jacobs said he has been battling the pain since Week 3 and expects to play against the Panthers in a game that will decide who is the No. 1 seed for the NFC playoffs.

“Yeah, this game is very important,” Jacobs said. “You have a good football team coming in here. We are the head honchos of the conference and this game means a lot to our team. I want to be out there to have better chances for our team to win. Whatever I can do to help us win I’m all for that.”

But will Jacobs, who practiced yesterday, play, and if he does will he be able run in the same aggressive fashion that has made him so effective?

“There is progress, sure,” Tom Coughlin said. “He made, I think, very good progress last week. But we will see. He is going to have to go on the practice field and practice and do the things to get (himself) ready to play. And we will see it on a daily basis how he responds after practice and the next morning.”

The problems with the Giants running game has been accentuated by the lack of a dominating receiver in the lineup. With WR Plaxico Burress suspended for the season, the remaining Giants receivers have struggled the previous two weeks and are not demanding the double-teams the way Burress did. That means more defenders at the line of scrimmage to slow down Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw — which makes Jacobs’ return this Sunday night all that more crucial.

“It does allow us, I think, to establish again who we are and the physical tone,” Coughlin said. “And that is, to me, what has been what we need. We need to have that physical tone again.”

The Panthers “smash and dash” combination of RB DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart has been tearing up the league. The pair have combined for 1,980 yards and 23 touchdowns.

“They have been able to bring along this offensive line,” Coughlin said about the Panthers’ running ability.

“They have been able to bring these runners along and now they have a one-two punch that is very, very good. And their fullback running game is strong. Their two-tight end running is strong. And they have the ability, I think, to be a very physical, hard-nosed run-oriented team and take the shot down the field with two outstanding receivers on the outside. And their defense is very strong as well. So these two runners have nicely developed in their scheme.”