The New York Giants are once again watching their season

slip away almost before it begins. The team might have one last chance to save their season when they travel to take on the Carolina Panthers this Sunday. If that is to happen Cheap Landon Collins Jersey , the defense might need to carry the day.The Giants’ defense has played well enough for them to win each of the games they have played, giving up just 20 points to both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys, and they played far better than the 33 points they gave up to the Saints would suggest. However, their Achilles heel this year has been running quarterbacks, and they face one of the best in the league in Cam Newton. Will the Giants’ defense be able to do enough to slow down the Panthers’ rushing attack and hope the offense can find an identity?Stats at a glance Panthers’ offenseRushing yards: 166.0 per gamePassing yards: 203.7 per gameTotal yards: 369.7 per gamePoints: 23.7 per gameGiants’ defenseRushing yards: 126.0 per gamePassing yards: 228.8 per gameTotal yards: 354.8 per gamePoints: 23.8 per gameCan the Giants finally defend the Zone-Read offense? The Carolina Panthers don’t have much of a passing attack. Their 203.7 yards per game is only good for 25th best in the league. However, they don’t need to throw the ball to move it, because they boast the league’s best running game, averaging 166 yards per game. And while Christian McCaffrey is a good runner of the ball — he averaged 6.6 yards per carry against the Cincinnati Bengals when he had 28 attempts — the reason for the Panthers’ success on the ground is Cam Newton. Or rather, the zone read. The Panthers are one of the few teams in the NFL to feature the zone read as a fundamental part of their offense. But then, they are the only team in the league to have Cam Newton at quarterback. The zone read exploded on to the NFL’s scene about eight years ago with the drafting of players like Newton and Colin Kaepernick — big, athletic quarterbacks who were runners as well as passers. The offense enjoyed a season or two of wide-spread success before retreating to be more of a trick play than an offensive staple. Defenses in the NFL are too smart, too big, too fast, and quarterbacks far too valuable for any scheme which consistently exposes them to hits to last long. But Newton is unique in his size, athleticism, and natural ability as a runner. The Panthers would be crazy to not feature the zone read with Newton running their offense. Combined with McCaffrey, the zone read is especially effective. The two players represent a stark contrast in styles, with McCaffrey’s shifty agility and Newton’s size and power. As well, even when McCaffrey is split out wide as a receiver, Newton’s presence always keeps the threat of a run on the table. Defending the zone read is relatively simple in theory: Maintain discipline on defense, play assignment-sound football, do not over-pursue Cheap B.J. Hill Jersey , and tackle securely. However, it is more difficult than that in practice. The defense must be able to force the quarterback to make the read they want him to make, and the players must have the discipline to trust their teammates to play their assignments even though the offense is trying to create a numbers advantage.So far the defense has looked lost defending the zone read against the Jaguars, Cowboys, and Saints. The Giants will continue to see the zone read until they prove that they are able to stop it, and if they want to have a chance at winning this week, they will need to do just that.Run CMCChristian McCaffrey occupies a unique place in the NFL. He is not only his team’s top running back, but also effectively their top receiver.McCaffrey has three times as many carries (46) as the number two running back (C.J. Anderson, 12). He also has nearly twice as many receptions (22) as the next receiving option (Devin Funchess, 14). It isn’t accurate to say that he is the engine that makes the Panthers’ offense go — that would be Cam Newton — but McCaffrey is clearly their biggest threat. His receiving ability will likely get the most attention; he does run routes and catch the ball like a wide receiver. But McCaffrey’s running ability shouldn’t be ignored either. He is only listed at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, but his lower body is remarkably powerful for a small back. Combined with his vision and rare short-area quickness, that power makes McCaffrey very hard to bring down around the line of scrimmage. All too often he manages to fight his way through arm tackles and pick up far more yards than one might expect just by looking at him. Now, back to that receiving ability for a moment. Like Alvin Kamara, McCaffrey lines up all across the offensive front, from the backfield, to slot receiver, to wide receiver. He is a natural catcher of the ball who runs good routes and adjusts well to the ball in flight. With his lower body power and movement skills, McCaffrey is a tough cover for most defenders — he doesn’t have the speed to run away from most defensive backs, but quick feet and remarkably fluid movement let him change directions very easily. If stopping the read option is the Giants’ first order of business, then containing McCaffrey must be the second.Who will be on the field?Despite giving up 33 points to the New Orleans Saints, the Giants’ defense has played well enough for the team to win in each of their games in 2018. But now Cheap Dalvin Tomlinson Jersey , reinforcements might be on the way for their road trip to CarolinaDefensive tackle Josh Mauro’s suspension is over, and he is eligible to rejoin the team — though they will need to make a roster move to add him to the 53-man roster. The former Arizona Cardinals lineman was added to both help fill a role in the new defensive scheme and aid the transition to that scheme. Mauro played well with the second team in preseason, and was often around the ball, though that was against backup linemen. Top edge rusher Olivier Vernon could be on his way back as well. Vernon is still working his way back from a high ankle sprain suffered in practice during the preseason. However, he practiced twice in a row last week before being ruled out for the Giants’ game against the Saints.If Vernon has not suffered any setbacks, he could make his 2018 debut for a Giants team in desperate need of a true every-down threat off the edge. They have been getting along without him, with players like Kareem Martin, Connor Barwin, Lorenzo Carter, Dalvin Tomlinson, and B.J. Hill providing their meager pass rush. Adding Vernon to the mix could be the spark the front seven needs.Finally, we come to Eli Apple. the third year corner got off to a fantastic start in the first two games, but was lost in week two to a groin injury. B.W. Webb has played about as well as could be hoped in Apple’s absence, but there is a clear step down between the two. Apple had limited participation in practice before Week 4, and says that he is feeling “much better.” Getting all three players back — particularly Vernon and Apple — could be a tremendous boost for the Giants’ defense. Having two cornerbacks capable of matching up one-on-one with the Panthers’ receivers and their best EDGE player back could be huge against the Panthers’ run-based offense. No player in league history has generated more than 2,000 receiving yards in a single season. Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. aspires to be the first one to do it.“I’m trying to reach 2,000 yards,” Beckham said Thursday, via ESPN.com. “I’m trying to go for 20 TDs. One hundred receptions is tatted on me. Those are goals that hopefully in my career and future, along with championships and winning, because numbers don’t mean anything without winning. You can go home with 300 yards in a game with an L, it’s not going to feel good.”Beckham quickly has surpassed 1 http://www.giantscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-alec-ogletree-jersey ,000 receiving yards through 11 games. And that development comes in a year in which Beckham hasn’t been as explosive as he’s been in the past.“Like I said, it’s not a down year,” Beckham said. “My numbers are still my numbers.聽I guess that is where my mindset is different than everybody else. I expect way higher of myself.”While he thinks it’s not a down year, he also thinks it’s not an up year.“Yeah, I don’t feel like it’s quite there,” Beckham said. :Each year I come in 1,000 yards is a minimum. I don’t look at it like, ‘I need to get 1,000 yards.’ My season starts after 1,000 yards. I’m trying to see how many yards I can get after 1,000.聽Ten touchdowns minimum that is just the goal. For me, this year I came in with the mindset of being efficient. When I was in college and making plays, it’s third-and-11, being able to hit this first down and keep this drive alive. Just being effective and efficient.”And winning, something the Giants haven’t nearly done enough of, regardless of Beckham’s stats. In his five years with the team, the Giants have one playoff appearance, a one-and-out embarrassment at Green Bay. If Beckham wants to be considered among the very best who ever played, he needs to start playing more frequently in January.