The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers will engage in a game of “is anyone healthy?”. Ahmad Bradshaw is out. Hakeem Nicks has been ruled out. For Carolina, running back Jonathan Stewart is out. The quarterbacks, though, will be playing, and two teams that can be exploited defensively will be turning around on short rest as well.

Both enter at 1-1 after winning last week, with the Giants completing an amazing comeback and the Panthers moving at will against the Saints. This may be week 3, but I have to believe this is going to be one of those swing games we’ll be looking back in December in regard to tiebreakers. Victor Cruz and Steve Smith should find big plays available, and the team that generates them will win. The Giants won their share of these last year, and got into the playoffs where they got healthy and peaked. The Panthers are learning to play in these big games. If you don’t have occasion to see Cam Newton play frequently, this is one of your few primetime opportunities in 2012.

The Line: Carolina by 1

The picks: Both Stephen and I will take Carolina in advance of tomorrow’s Pigsplosion. Take heart, Giants fans, we took the Bears and the points a week ago.

[photo via US Presswire]