The Thursday Night Football schedule continues tonight as the Carolina Panthers host the New York Giants. Our TNF analyst Trent Green filed this report:
Containing Cam:
It is no secret that Cam Newton is a special talent. His combination of size, speed, running ability and arm strength keep the best defensive players in the NFL awake at night. It boils down to two things in my book. Discipline and athletic ability. Fortunately for the Giants they have Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck playing defensive end. All three possess experience, which gives them the discipline, and great athletic ability. The majority of the Carolina offense centers around the shotgun zone-read run play. Cam can hand it off, keep it, throw bootlegs, screens, bombs and misdirection out of this look. (Just watch the New Orleans game if you don’t believe me.) The rotation of the Giants defensive ends will shoulder the responsibility of containing Cam.
Welcome to Primetime:
Eli Manning is the leading passer in the NFL, based on yardage, after two weeks. But he will be without Hakeem Nicks, Domenik Hixon and Ahmad Bradshaw tonight against Carolina. That means 2nd-round pick Rueben Randle, 2nd-year receiver Jerrel Jernigan and 4th-year receiver Ramses Barden will be introduced to America Thursday night. On the season, the three have combined for one reception of 24 yards and 0 TDs. For their careers they have a combined 16 rec/198 yds/0 TDs. (FYI—all of those stats belong to Barden). It’s time to take center stage, guys.
Remembering Carolina Chaos:
In 1998, I was quarterbacking the Washington Redskins and we had a game in Carolina. Four minutes into the 2nd quarter we had jumped to a 21-3 lead and things were getting ugly on the Panthers bench. From across the field we noticed quite a bit of commotion. We would find out later that star linebacker Kevin Greene had had a physical altercation with linebackers coach Kevin Steele. Which would explain a lot. We headed into halftime with only a 21-17 lead and I was making my way to the training room for some stitches. Right before the half a clearly riled up Greene planted his helmet under my chin — nowadays, that would be two different kinds of penalties to protect the QB. Then, not so much. We were able to get a 3rd-quarter TD and held on for a 28-25 victory. So before kickoff Thursday night if I’m in the booth rubbing my chin, I’m probably just traveling down memory lane.
— Trent Green
Ian Eagle, Trent Green and sideline reporter Laura Okmin will have all the action live from Charlotte tonight as the Panthers host the Giants. Coverage begins at 8 Eastern. You can listen to TNF on NFL Audio Pass on NFL.com, NFL Mobile on Verizon, SiriusXM Satellite Radio or on a Westwood One affiliate radio station near you.
