4 reasons the Carolina Panthers will beat NY Giants in Week 2

Carolina Panthers can keep Saquon Barkley under control

After being run all over in the season opener, things don’t get any easier for the Carolina Panthers against the New York Giants. Coming off 168 rushing yards in his opening contest, Saquon Barkley showed some of the reasons why he was taken just a pick after Baker Mayfield in the 2018 NFL Draft.

After getting embarrassed versus Nick Chubb and the Cleveland Browns, expect a response from the Panthers’ defensive unit in Week 2. Carolina simply must be better at stopping the run and unless they do so on Sunday, they could easily find themselves 0-2.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the defensive coordinator Phil Snow stack the box and try to make Daniel Jones – a quarterback fighting for his future in the league – attempt to win the game with his arm.

Now it’s not just Barkley the Panthers need to contend with. Jones is a player who must be accounted for in the run game, and veteran Matt Breida provides a solid backup option.

However, Barkley will be the focal point of this Giants offense. The Panthers must plan accordingly to limit his productivity or it could be another long afternoon.

If the Panthers can limit Barkley, then the pass-rush can get more freedom to attack Jones. This makes things easier for the secondary for good measure.

The Duke product is known for turning the ball over, which the Panthers need to start doing at the earliest possible opportunity in pursuit of ending a deeply concerning run of results.