With each team coming off tough week one losses, both the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants got into the win column on Sunday. The Panthers sent division rival New Orleans to 0-2 on the season, while the Giants held on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their home opener.
THE GAME
Explosive offenses could be on full display Thursday night in Charlotte. With Cam Newton at the helm of the Carolina offense and fresh off a win over the New Orleans Saints, the Panthers are looking to make a statement on national television. Carolina and New York combined for 76 points in week two, including the Giants 41-point outburst against the Buccaneers. Though both offenses made plenty of plays, it could be defenses that enter Sunday with the most question marks. The Giants gave up 34 points to Tampa Bay on Sunday, including big plays down the stretch, raising questions about the play of the secondary. With Cam Newton and the big-play Panther offense, it could be wise to take the over in this match-up, as both defenses could be in for long days. Both the Giants and the Panthers are giving up over 22 points per game through the first two games of the season.
WHAT TO WATCH
Cam Newton showed his worth on Sunday against the Saints, throwing for 253 yards and running for 71 more yards in the Panthers win. Newton’s biggest weapon, Steve Smith, returned to form with over 100 receiving yards in the game, which also opened up the game plan for the Panthers running game. Obviously for the Panthers to repeat Sunday’s performance, the offensive attack must show up and limit turnovers. For the Giants, all eyes fall on the secondary. With the offense looking much-improved in week two, the secondary for New York must fix the mistakes given up in the 41-34 win over Tampa Bay. With Eli Manning at the helm and weapons on the outside offensively, the Giants believe – as they should – that they can score with anyone.
GAME LINE
The Giants have been set as the favorites in this Thursday night game, but it’s not by much. Carolina gets this one at home, which is good enough to make this a close bettnig line. This Giants vs Panthers Week 3 matchup have set New York as 1.5-point favorites. The Giants will need to win by at least two points to cover.
PREDICTIONS
The Giants and the Panthers make for an intriguing Thursday night match-up in Charlotte. The Panthers showed they could be true contenders with the win over the Saints, but taking on the defending world champions on national television could be a different story. 
Regardless of the storylines, the stars seem to be aligning for quite an offensive showcase, which would make sense given the over/under set at 51.0 as of Tuesday. The Giants should have the better football team on paper, but with an eager crowd in Charlotte and a playmaker at quarterback, the Panthers seem primed for the primetime. Look for this game to be close regardless, and could come down to the defense that makes the big play.