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Edgar Chaput
Panthers vs. Giants Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 2 Odds, Prediction
Carolina, under its new head coach Frank Reich, continues to play summer football against New Jersey-based outfits. In week 1 they fell 27-0 at home to the Jets. As for the other MetLife Stadium residents, the Giants were away to the Detroit Lions and lost a close one, 21-16.
The Giants are slightly favoured on Friday, with the NFL odds pinning them at -3.0.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
In the previous five regular season meetings between these franchises, Carolina has earned the spoils in three. That said, it’s the Giants who have won the most recent two. In fact, they tussled in Week 2 last season, a game Baker Mayfield started for the Panthers – Carolina lost 19-16. How times have changed.
The Panthers were a -3.0 favourite last week against the Jets and were pummeled into submission. As such, they sit at 0-1 against the spread so far this summer. Not scoring a single point does the over no favours either.
Despite being the road squad in Week 1 versus a Lions team entering 2023 with optimism, New York was a -2.5 favourite. The defeat puts them at 0-1 ATS, but enough points were scored for the over to connect.
Carolina Panthers
Everyone in Carolina, and around the NFL really, is waiting for the 2023 first overall draft pick Bryce Young to explode onto the scene. The first-year signal caller got some playing time against the Jets, but he was taken out very early. It felt more like Frank Reich wanted his new QB to get a little taste of life against an NFL-calibre defence.
He went four-for-six and 21 yards, mostly limited to short passes. It’s not much to go on, but when one is selected at the top of the NFL draft, one gets the benefit of the doubt and Week 1 of preseason is not a make-or-break situation. What the Panthers should be wary of is the quality of its front line. It coughed up five sacks, and backup Matt Corral was frequently harassed. Calgarian running back Chuba Hubbard got to see some action, rushing for nine yards on four carries.
There are only so many ways to sugar-coat a 27-0 defeat. It’s only preseason and Frank Reich has a good track record, but Week 1 was ugly on both sides of the ball.
New York Giants
The Giants and Lions were involved in arguably one of the more entertaining matches of Week 1. As a fan it’s very easy to sleepwalk through the NFL preseason, but New York and Detroit on a decent show at Ford Field last week.
For those who enjoy spotting oft-mentioned, journeymen QBs, Tyrod Taylor started the game for the G-Men. It was more a case of stretching his arms and legs than a real outing, as he only lasted a few minutes, going three-for-four and seven yards. New York was much keener on seeing what they have in Tommy DeVito, the rookie out of Illinois. Frankly, it wasn’t that bad. He went 15-for-24 and 155 yards and a TD to Tommy Sweeney – a Tommy-to-Tommy touchdown. But Detroit’s front seven bulldozed through New York’s protection all night, sacking DeVito five times.
Safety Alex Cook had a team-leading seven tackles. The defence did itself proud enough. Detroit scored one touchdown on an awesome punt return and didn’t muster much on the attack until late in the fourth quarter, admittedly a black mark on an overall decent performance.
CAR
NYG