The Carolina Panthers and New York Giants rang out the old. Now they will ring in the new.
The Panthers and Giants kick off the 2010 season on Sunday afternoon at the New Meadowlands Stadium in hopes of putting disappointing seasons behind them. After winning their respective divisions with 12-4 records in 2008, both clubs finished at 8-8 last season and missed the postseason party.
New York started the season with five straight wins but slumped and was eliminated from the playoffs by two season-ending defeats, including a heartless 41-9 thumping by Carolina on the next-to-last week of the season. The contest was the finale at the old Meadowlands, home to New York since 1976.
The Panthers dug themselves a big hole early last season by losing its first three games to Philadelphia, Atlanta and Dallas by a combined score of 87-37.
After making five straight playoff appearances, the Giants will have to get improvement from both lines and return to health if they are to challenge for the postseason in the tough NFC East.
Carolina’s Jonathan Stewart ripped through the defense for 206 yards in the home finale and the Giants were torched 44-7 in the season finale by the Minnesota Vikings. The team allowed 427 points, the third most in the NFC and most in franchise history since 1966. Five teams shredded New York for 40 points.
The defense fought with new coordinator Bill Sheridan, who was fired after the season. Lineman Justin Tuck, Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard were banged up, star safety Kenny Phillips suffered a knee injury that required surgery and linebacker and team leader Antonio Pierce suffered a neck injury and retired after the season.
A pair of new acquisitions, linebacker Keith Bullock and safety Antrel Rolle, could help the defense return to past form.
Giants leader Eli Manning returns at quarterback after throwing for over 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns a season ago. He’ll be protected by an offensive line that is beginning its fifth season together. Ahmad Bradshaw will start in the backfield in place of Brandon Jacobs. The duo combined for 1,600 yards last season and two offseason surgeries.
Manning and the Giants will line up against a Panthers defense that will be starting six new players on a group that was fourth against the pass last year but 22nd vs. the run. Gone is defensive end Julius Peppers, but the revamped line recorded 18 sacks in the preseason.
Coach John Fox replaced ineffective starting quarterback Jake Delhomme late in the season with Matt Moore, who led the club to four wins in its last five games and 90 points over its last three.
The 26-year-old Moore completed 85-of-138 passes for 1,053 yards. He passed for three touchdowns against the Giants and finished the campaign with eight TDs against just two interceptions.
Moore’s development will be the key for Carolina, which enters the season as the NFL’s youngest team at just under 26 years old. However, its bread-and-butter will be running backs Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. The dangerous duo combined for 2,250 yards and 17 TDs last season.
Wideout Steve Smith can still play, but the other five receivers have a combined 34 catches and one TD.