Panthers-Giants...A Blessing in Disguise For The Panthers?

Almost 80,000 bewildered Giants fans watched in the New Jersey swamp land for almost 60 minutes only to see their beloved Giants lose to the Panthers on a last second field goal, from the only original Panther, John Kasay. But wait just a minute, when the 51 yard kick left Kasay's foot it was true and Panther fans cheered and Giants fans started to feel that sick feeling....until the back judge crossed his arms and waived the kick off. The last five feet of the kick had been blown just left by that infamous Meadowland's wind.

The Giants had survived. The Giants' fans were elated and the Panthers and the Panther fans had just had the wind sucked out of their sails. But, looking at this from another perspective reveals this may just be a blessing in disguise for the Carolina Panthers.

The game was one of the most entertaining of the year. The Giants capitalized on the Panthers' shortcomings. Carolina's interior defensive run stopper, Ma'ake Kemoeatu was on the sidelines, out with an injury. If that was not enough, defensive tackle, Damione Lewis, was moved over to the "nose" position where he had almost no experience and wound up hurting his shoulder and was still asked to stop the league's leading rushing offense. It got even better for the Giants as Carolina had activated a rookie defensive tackle, Nick Hayden, from their practice squad on Saturday and played him in the most critical juncture of the game on Sunday. If that was not bad enough for the Panthers, another backup,  defensive tackle Gary Gibson, was effectively playing with one arm tied behind his back as he was on the field with a cast on his hand and finally, arguably, Carolina's best defensive player, Jon Beason, had been sick with food poisoning and seemed to play nowhere near his actual ability.

The perfect storm had culminated and the Giants took advantage of it. Now, it is hard to explain why Carolina coach, John Fox had his rookie running back, Jonathan Stewart, on the field during the most critical drives of the game while the NFL's touchdown leading running back, DeAngelo Willliams, was merely a spectator. It was hard to explain a run play and not a pass on third down near the end of regulation and it was hard to explain why Carolina's defensive back, Ken Lucas, seemed to give everyone he covered, a five yard cushion.

Those questions can be debated but the Panthers had better be out of the argument. Their season lies fully in their hands going forward and looking back will not get it done. The Panthers, once again, face another "biggest game of the season." Face it, every game they have played since their last loss was their "biggest game of the season." This team has had to rise up when called on before this season and they have done it. Sunday night's game in the Meadowlands, just goes to show the Panthers are capable of playing up or down to their opponent's level.

Coach Fox knew the pros and cons of a win against the Giants. His conservative play calling near the end of the game and his post game press conference can almost lead one to believe Fox was not completely sold on the "do or die" nature of Sunday's game. John Fox remember's John Gruden's woes when he had a meaningless last game and rested his starters before going into the playoffs. Fox had already seen, earlier this season, how his team had trouble trying to bounce back after a bye week. It is a double edged sword. With a win Sunday Carolina would have gotten a meaningless last game and would have had the chance to avoid injury and simply rest their starters for two weeks and then play a home playoff game against a team coming off of a big win.

However, Sunday's loss assures the Panthers of one thing, this week's game in New Orleans is their biggest game of the 2008 season. Not only will Fox have the opportunity to have his team go out play hard in a big game that matters on the season's last week, he will also have the chance to let his team rest and heal for one week before a home playoff game after a win in New Orleans. Finally, Fox walked away from the Meadowlands with a huge bag of intangibles going into the postseason. Fox has a team that now has even more of a reason to want another shot at the Giants. Their is now the revenge factor. The Panthers want Sunday's night game back and if they follow this loss the way they have followed their other losses this season, they will probably get their re-match.

Now, the Panthers' focus and venom will turn toward the New Orleans Saints this Sunday. The Panthers will be asked to bounce back for the fifth time this season, but coming off Sunday's loss there could not be a bigger "bounce back" game. A win Sunday will secure the Panthers a second seed in the NFC Playoffs and then they will be two

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