Monday Night Football Odds, Picks & Predictions: The Giants and Panthers will square off against each other for the seventh time in a preseason when they meet tonight at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. This evening's Monday Night Football battle is scheduled to get underway at 8:00pm ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN. Online bookmaker Sportsbook.com has New York listed as a -3 against the spread favorite in their Monday Night Football: Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants Odds, Picks & Predictions.
Carolina Panthers: John Fox might have saved his job last year by guiding his team to a 12-4 record and NFC South title. However, the team ended the season with a bitter taste in its mouth after losing 33-13 to the Cardinals in the divisional playoff.
That loss, combined with the players growing weary of pounding on each other in training camp, has the team more than ready to go in this evening's contest.
"You're going to get motivated just because you're not playing against each other anymore," Left Guard Travelle Wharton said. "Now you're using what you learned in meetings and practices…and just going out to play."
Fox indicated that game planning, as well as playing time for the starters ("about a quarter"), would be at a minimum tonight.
"We only spend one practice on looking at the opponent," Fox said. "As a coaching staff we don't game plan."
New York Giants: The Giants also had a painful conclusion to otherwise great year, falling 11-23 at home to the Eagles in the Playoffs. Tonight will be their first chance to put that game in the rearview mirror and test their mettle against a live opponent.
The biggest question mark on the Giants roster as they move into a new season is at the receiver spot. Veteran Amani Toomer was let go in the off-season and Plaxico Burress is officially no longer with the club. New York is left with Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith as the likely starters and a plethora of young guys fighting for positions.
Some of the names battling to be Eli Manning's next go-to target are Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden. Manningham was a third round pick in last year's draft while Nicks was the Giants first round selection in the 2009 draft. Ramses was also added this year as a third round pick out of Cal Poly.
With Steve Smith out of tonight's game, one of those three will likely get the start along with Hixon. They will all see plenty of action during the game and throughout the preseason as Tom Coughlin and his staff try to figure just what they have at wideout.
Game Note: The Panthers are 5-1 straight up in their six preseason meetings with the Giants.
Sportsbook.com Monday Night Football: Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants Odds, Picks & Predictions
Carolina Panthers +3 (-110), Over 32.5 (-110), +130 (Moneyline)
New York Giants -3 (-110), Under 32.5 (-110), -150 (Moneyline)
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