Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas (l.) and safety Michael Johnson lead brutal defensive effort as Big Blue is blown away by Panthers.
Big Bruise: Week 16
PANTHERS 41, GIANTS 9
The Giants saved their worst for last.
After 34 years at Giants Stadium, they said goodbye in pathetic and humiliating fashion Sunday, getting pointed by the Carolina Panthers, 41-9, in one of their most embarrassing, performances ever at the Meadowlands. In a must-win game and with a chance to save their disappointing season, they barely showed a pulse.
And after 283 games here, they slammed the door on both the stadium and their 2009 season, too.
At least, it felt that way. The truth is that while the Giants (8-7) showed no signs of life Sunday, they are still alive … at least for the next few hours. If somehow the hapless Washington Redskins are able to beat the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night, the Giants will still have a mathematical shot at a playoff berth heading into their finale next Sunday at Minnesota.
But they certainly didn’t play like a team worthy of a playoff berth. They said they were determined to put on a show for their loyal fans, especially the ones who have been priced out of the new, $1.7 billion stadium they’ll move into in 2010. But instead they gave everyone a reason to go home early as they came out as flat as the swamp around them and were shutout in the first half for the second time in the last five games.
As a result, the Giants were absolutely pounded by the Panthers (7-8), who scored three touchdowns in the second quarter to open up a 24-0 halftime lead. They got a 29-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Stewart and two touchdown passes from quarterback Matt Moore.
In typical Giants fashion, though, things could have – should have – been much better. Their offense looked crisp as they marched down the field on the opening drive, bullying their way to the Panthers’ 26 yard line. They even scored a touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Eli Manning to Steve Smith – or so it seemed.
The play was called back because of a holding penalty on fullback Madison Hedgecock. And two players later, Mario Manningham fumbled away the ball and the Giants’ chance to score any points at all on their opening drive. Seven minutes later the Panthers were up 3-0 and on their way to a rout.
It was 31-0 Panthers before the Giants even got on the board, thanks to a four-play touchdown drive to open the second half which ended with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Steve Smith. That was enough for some of the already angry fans to start heading for the parking lot early.
And that left the Giants to close their home in front of a very sparse crowd.
Perhaps that was for the best, though, because they had booing the Giants since early in the second quarter and the Giants never responded. Given the circumstances and the stakes, it might have been the worst and most embarrassing performance by a Giants team in Giants Stadium – as bad as “The Fumble” in 1978 or the 23-0 postseason loss to the Panthers in 2005.
On the bright side, it can’t get any worse for the Giants … at least not inside Giants Stadium anymore.
