Approach to the Game – Carolina Panthers at New York Giants, December 28, 2003: This preview will be as lame as the Giants’ season. Quite frankly, there is really little to talk about. The Giants will be without Collins, Shockey, Hilliard, Carter, Petitgout, Seubert, and Rivers on offense again and therefore will struggle against one of the NFL’s very best defenses. The only good news is that youngsters such as David Tyree, Willie Ponder, Visanthe Shiancoe, Darnell Dinkins, David Diehl, Ian Allen, Jeff Hatch, Scott Peters, and Jesse Palmer will continue to see much needed game experience. This tape will be used by the new coaching staff to evaluate potential.
Defensively, this is probably DT Keith Hamilton’s last game as he is expected to retire when the season is over. It also might be the last game in a Giants’ uniform for soon-to-be unrestricted free agents Cornelius Griffin, Keith Washington, Brandon Short, Dhani Jones, and Johnnie Harris. I’d love to see William Joseph and Osi Umenyiora get a lot of playing time, but this coaching staff seems reluctant to play the young fellows up front much.
This is actually a game the Giants could win. The players will want to send Jim Fassel out on a high note. Defensively, the Giants’ match-up pretty well against the Panthers. Just as importantly, this game carries no importance to the Carolina Panthers as they are locked in as the #3 seed in the NFC regardless of whether they win or lose. It is certainly possible that they will rest many starters.
The most important thing for the Giants is to get out of this game healthy. Then all the attention will be on the search for the new coaching staff, free agency, and the draft. It’s been a long, ugly season. Let’s get it over with.