Three Bold Predictions for New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers

The New York Giants meet the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany, looking to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 3-7 ahead of their Week 11 bye.

On the surface, both teams are roughly equal, and not necessarily in a good way. But the Giants, who are favored to win this game, could surprise a few people if the following predictions come true.

Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns has tried to downplay his feelings about facing his former team this weekend. Still, he has to simmer beneath the surface to put on a show against his former teammates.

Burns, who has played through many injuries, including a painful groin injury, has five sacks in his last seven games and 11 quarterback hits in that span. This week he will face Brady Christensen, who fills in at left tackle for the injured Ickey Ekwonu.

Last week against the Saints, Christensen was allowed four quarterback pressureshis season highlight. Burns, meanwhile, has one 12.7% pass-rush winning percentage and a 15.6% win rate on a true pass set.

If Burns can apply at least one touch on Sunday, he has a chance to join elite company. Burns would join Javon Hargrave, Khalil Mack and Leonard Williams as the only players to pressure all 32 teams since 2019, according to NextGen Stats.

In case you missed the news, the Giants plan to start Jermaine Eluemunor, who started the first nine games at right tackle, at left tackle and Evan Neal, their 2022 first-round draft pick, at right tackle to place.

The move is being made to strengthen pass blocking on quarterback Daniel Jones’ blind side, which has otherwise been a mess since starting left tackle Andrew Thomas suffered a season-ending foot injury.

The Giants have given Joshua Ezeudu one game at left guard and Chris Hubbard two games. The two men played 125 pass blocking snaps and allowed 17 quarterback pressures and four sacks.

Eluemunor has allowed right tackle in his first nine games this season 20 prints and two pockets. He expressed a desire to stay at right tackle a few weeks ago, but because he is a team player, he will man the quarterback’s blind side, which he did for two games last year with the Raiders.

Like Hubbard, Eluemunor is entitled more experience on the rightafter playing 2,471 career snaps at right tackle, versus 422 at left tackle. But the hope is that Ekuemunor, who can function primarily on an island, can take on the left tackle role this week and throw a pass-blocking shutout.

With the Giants’ offensive line taking a hit at the offensive tackle, it’s probably obvious that the Giants will look to get the line in place before they start leaning into the passing game.

What better way to establish the line than by running the ball early and often, especially against the league’s worst defense? The Panthers have allowed 159.3 rushing yards per game and are giving up 4.55 rushing yards per attempt (20th).

The Giants running game is averaging 114.7 yards per game, 19th, and 4.34 rushing yards per attempt (20th). Rookie Tyrone Tracy, Jr., who has taken over the role of RB1, is averaging 5.0 yards per rushing attempt, shared sixth among NFL running backs with at least 80 rushing attempts. Tracy is also averaging 5.86 yards per rushing attempt over his last two games and one rushing touchdown.

If the Giants can get the running game going on early downs and build manageable yardage on second and third downs, they will give themselves a good chance to win.