FanNation - The Republic of Sport

The Giants have lost two games in a row but remain the best in the NFC. They are faced with the biggest challenge of their season with a lot on the line. They have to face the NFC South leading Carolina Panthers this Sunday in a critical matchup that determines which team will get home field advantage throughout the postseason in the NFC. The Giants have the home field in this game so they look to be in good shape. They have already clinched the division and they have clinched a first round bye. Unless the Minnesota Vikings win this week with a Giants loss and beat the Giants next weekend, the Giants will have a first round bye if that does not happen. The Panthers are focusing on the running game this season with DeAngelo Williams who has torn up defenses and ran all over teams. The Giants have one of the best run defenses in the NFL and it will be a great matchup between Antonio Pierce and DeAngelo Williams. Brandon Jacobs is expected to return for the Giants which is great for them because their run game struggles without him. He makes a big difference. The pass rush for the Giants is improving with a great week last week not letting Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo not walk the next day which was the reason for not going to teammate Terrell Owens's birthday party. They sacked Torny Romo four times and put heavy pressure on him at other times. The offensive line for the Giants has got to improve after giving up 8 sacks last week against the Cowboys. They let DeMarcus Ware kill them and Jay Ratliff was also involved in the mess. The line has to calm down and play football in the snowing, freezing weather this weekend at Giants Stadium. Chris Snee and Shaun O'Hara were selected to the Pro Bowl which was good news but after last week's performance, they have to show that they earned their way in there. The weather is going to be terrible I hear and it will only get worse as a heavy snow storm is expected to land 8-11 inches in the Meadowlands. Eli has escaped many games like last year in Lambeau Field in cold weather and he can certainly do it again but the Giants have lost 6 in a row at home in December, all of those games under Eli Manning. Not a good sign there but I have faith in Eli and believe he can lead his team past the Panthers. Jake Delhomme has not been exactly the best quarterback this year so I only expect his big completions to go to Steve Smith who has had a great year and lead the Panthers in receiving. They do not have a good pass offense so the Giants should be able to take care of that with some good old pressure. The numbers on Eli will be around 55% completion percentage because once again he does not throw well in cold weather but he seems to win so I have that feeling. Jacobs will have an okay game with the Panthers and Julius Peppers one of the guys the Giasnts have to watch and protect, possibly putting two blockers on him to really protect him from putting heavy pressure on Eli the way DeMarcus Ware did last week. Plaxico Burress is still a big factor on this team but he just isn't with the team and ever since he got suspended the Giants have lost both games without him. He has apparently made a difference but the Giants can't let him play for the things he did because him shooting himself was a big mistake. The Giants will stop the run but it will be a game of defense and low scoring quarters until the fourth. The Panthers are the team everyone says will win but if you look at it, the Giants have the edge and I'm picking them to win this one, 13-12. Eli will run in a touchdown and two John Carney field goals. The Carolina Panthers will have 4 field goals.