Panthers vs. Giants Week 2 preview: Everything you need to know for gameday
Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield celebrates after scoring against the Browns during the second half of an NFL game on Sept. 11 in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: AP/Rusty Jones
PANTHERS (0-1) AT GIANTS (1-0)
METLIFE STADIUM, 1 p.m.
Line: Giants by 1 1/2; O/U 43 1/2
TV/Radio: Fox (Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston); WFAN-660 AM; Sirius 158; XM 230
NOTABLE INJURIES
GIANTS: WR Wan’Dale Robinson (out/knee); LB Kayvon Thibodeaux (doubtful/knee); LB Azeez Ojulari (doubtful/calf); WR Kadarius Toney (questionable/hamstring).
PANTHERS: LB Brandon Smith (doubtful/thigh); WR Shi Smith (questionable/groin).
MAYFIELD A FAMILIAR FACE IN NEW UNIFORM
The Giants have only played against Baker Mayfield once but there is a lot of familiarity with the Panthers quarterback. It starts with his Oklahoma teammate Sterling Shepard.
“He’s like my brother, man,” the Giants wide receiver said. “He’s one of the biggest competitors that I know other than Saquon (Barkley). Definitely a guy that you’ve always got to continue to fight and try to get down. He’s not one of those guys that’s going to go down easily, he’s not going to give up, he definitely keeps his group up and the morale up of those guys.”
The Giants also have Wink Martindale who was defensive coordinator in Baltimore and game-planned against Mayfield for the years he was in Cleveland.
“I know him and he knows me,” Martindale said.
Now, though, he isn’t with the Sooners or the Browns. He is with the Panthers. But neither of the two Giants who know him best think that changes anything.
“I said when he first came out and then playing against him that he’s a gunslinger,” Martindale said. “And who did they always call gun slinger? Brett Favre. And what did Brett Favre do? He left Atlanta, went to Green Bay, and he took off. Might be the same thing here for Baker.”
Shepard said he was glad to see Mayfield getting that second chance.
“It’s good to see him back on the field and playing ball,” he said. “That’s what he loves to do, and a lot of people love watching him. I’m one of those guys. I hope he does well… just not on Sunday.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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