6 keys to victory in Week 10

The Panthers offense isn’t good. They favor the run and rely heavily on Chuba Hubbard, but they have the ninth-worst run offense in the league. The Giants struggle against the run, though, ranking near the bottom of the league. To avoid Hubbard running all over them, the Giants need to stack the box and stop him. He’s essentially their sole running back as Miles Sanders has just 134 rush yards on the season and will likely be a nonfactor on Sunday. So, if the Giants can stop Hubbard and force Bryce Young to beat them downfield, which he won’t be able to do with much success, then they’ll be well on their way to a win.

The Panthers’ defense is just as bad as its offense, if not worse. They allow over 32 points per game, including 18 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns. Daniel Jones needs to chuck it down the field and pray for the best. If he throws an interception or two, so be it. The Giants need to be willing to sacrifice a turnover or two in order to put more points on the board. We’ve reached the point where conservative play isn’t going to get the Giants anywhere. Rip off the band-aid, throw the ball down the field, and when Jones connects with Malik Nabers for a ridiculous play, watch the momentum shift.

The Panthers average just 24.8 yards per kickoff return this season. A touchback is now at the 30-yard line. Don’t give them a touchback. It only gives them yards they wouldn’t otherwise have. The ball should land, or be caught, inside the five-yard line. It solidifies the field position game and forces the Panthers to sustain longer drives. Every yard counts.

The Panthers lead the NFL with 12 interceptions. The Giants, on the other hand, have just one interception this season. One. Rookie linebacker Darius Muasau nabbed an interception in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.

This week, the Giants have to find a way to change that trend. How can they do this? It starts with players like Deonte Banks not giving up on plays and actually playing the ball for a change. On most teams, Banks wouldn’t be starting right now because of his blatant lack of effort. But the Giants continue to put him on the field with the same results every week. If the Giants want to grab an interception, they have to get guys like Banks on board and playing with 100% effort on every play.

The Panthers present an opportunity for the Giants to play the way we know they can. Carolina’s offense is lackluster at best, their defense is in the ditch, and they’re more focused on rebuilding than winning. It’s as straightforward a matchup as any they will see this season. The Giants must be disciplined, they can’t blow assignments or make silly mental mistakes. Play by the book, don’t inflict wounds on yourself and be smart on the field. That’s how the Giants can win this game.

It’s not a secret that Malik Nabers will be Daniel Jones’ top target this week. Darius Slayton is out, and while Wan’Dale Robinson is a solid option, Jones and Nabers have a connection. The Panthers are well aware of this and will likely stick Jaycee Horn, their top defensive player, on Nabers. The Giants have to use pre-snap motion to get Nabers away from Horn and get him lined up with Mike Jackson. Jackson surrenders nearly 70% of all catches that go his direction, and that’s the guy you want Nabers lined up with.

There will also be mismatches with the Panthers’ use of safety sub-packages. They don’t tackle well and struggle against the run in those situations, so it’s imperative that Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary are available when those packages are shown.