The Carolina Panthers are just three games away from becoming the second team to ever finish a regular season with a 16-0 record and have a 17-game regular season winning streak that ranks as the fourth-longest of all-time. If the Panthers can improve to 14-0 on Sunday against the New York Giants, the 18-game winning streak would tie for the third-longest ever.
Panthers vs. Giants 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Panthers have only two things left to play for: The No. 1 seed in the NFC and perfection. The Giants are in their way.
But the Giants have experience dealing with the hype of a team in pursuit of perfection. It was New York that ruined the New England Patriots' undefeated run in the Super Bowl after finishing the 2007 season 16-0, and it was New York that came a field goal away from dealing the Patriots a Week 17 loss.
Eight years later the Giants roster looks much different than it did when Brandon Jacobs, Plaxico Burress, Ahmad Bradshaw, Amani Toomer and David Tyree helped lead the team to a Super Bowl ring. But at the helm of the franchise are still Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin, who are in the hunt for a fourth NFC East title together.
The Panthers are done chasing the NFC South title, as that was wrapped up two weeks ago, and it's also impossible for Carolina to be unseated from a first-round bye. The only things left for the Panthers to play for are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which can still be snagged by the Arizona Cardinals, and perfection.
Leading the way for Carolina is quarterback Cam Newton, who is the betting favorite to be named the NFL MVP for his performance in 2015. Newton has 28 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, in addition to 480 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. His play has been particularly strong as of late, with 14 passing touchdowns and just one interception in the last five weeks.
The Giants’ defense hasn’t done a good job of stopping anybody in 2015, and hasn’t held a single team under 300 yards. For contrast, the Panthers defense kept opponents under 250 yards four times in the last five weeks.
One thing the Giants are good at is scoring points. Through 13 games, Eli Manning has matched Newton’s 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and the Giants are No. 7 in the NFL in scoring. To beat the Panthers, Manning and the Giants offense will likely have to put on a show and get on the scoreboard early and often, because the New York defense will likely have a tough time stopping the NFL’s highest-scoring offense.
However, the Panthers defense is the only one in the NFL that has forced more turnovers than the Giants. Over a five-game span earlier in the season, New York created 15 turnovers and if the Panthers are at all sloppy with the ball offensively, the Giants have a defense capable of pouncing on opportunities when presented.
Sunday will be the ninth time that the two franchises have faced each other, with both teams earning four wins in the series. The Panthers earned a 38-0 blowout victory in the last meeting in 2013, with Newton finishing with three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
How to watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV: Fox
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Online: NFL Game Pass
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