Every year in the NFL, there are a handful of games in which a team fighting for a spot in the playoffs loses to a team with nothing but pride to play for.
But there aren’t many games in which the team with nothing to play for absolutely destroys the team that still has postseason hopes.
That’s what happened today at Giants Stadium, where the Panthers dominated the Giants from start to finish, winning 41-9.
The Giants had no answer for the Panthers’ offense, led by backup quarterback Matt Moore and backup running back Jonathan Stewart. Moore completed 15 of 20 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns, while Stewart carried 28 times for 206 yards.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw two interceptions, while running back Brandon Jacobs carried six times for one yard.
Although the 8-7 Giants aren’t yet mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, it’s safe to say they’re no playoff team. Today, with so much on the line, they looked like one of the worst teams in the league.