10 Not-So-Interesting Facts: Week 1

1.  The win evens up the Giants all-time series with the Carolina Panthers at 3-3.  The Panthers have still outscored the Giants in those 6 contests 164-142.

2.  As bad as the Giants rushing attack was in the first half, their 118 rushing yards was good enough to put them at 11th in league after week 1.  The Giants didn't break 118 yards in a game until week 3 last season, when they rushed for 226 against the Bucs. 

3.  Eli Manning's 263yds passing was the most he's ever had in an opening day win.  It his second highest total in any opening game behind his 312 yd performance in 2007's 45-35 opening day loss to the Cowboys.

4. Carolina's 5 turnovers was the most turnovers the Giants defense has forced since Oct 2, 2005, when they beat the Rams 44-24.

5.  The last time they forced 5 or more turnovers on opening day was in 1999 when they beat the Bucs 17-13 (a close game considering the Giants didn't turn the ball over at all themselves).

6.  The last time the Giants combined with an opponent for 9 or more turnovers was on Nov 4th, 2001 when they beat the Cowboys 27-24.  Interestingly enough, the Giants combined with the Redskins for another 9 turnover performance just 1 month before that on Oct 14th, 2001 (another Giants win, 23-9).

7.   The Giants and Jets combined for a whopping 220 penalty yards in week 1.

8.  Mathias Kiwanuka recorded 2 sacks on Sunday.  He is the first Giant to have a multi-sack game since Justin Tuck recorded 2 against the Oakland Raiders in Week 5 of last season.

9.  The Giants have now won 3 straight opening games, and have improved to 4-3 on opening day with Tom Coughlin at the helm. Coughlin is now 10-5 all time on opening day as a head coach.

10.  Hakeem Nicks' became the first Giant since Plaxico Burress in Week 1 of the 2007 season--a loss to the Cowboys--to haul  in 3 receiving TD's in a single game.  The last Giant with 3 receiving TD's in a win was Amani Toomer in Week 15 of the 2002 season (45-27 over the Colts).  With defenses starting to focus on Steve Smith, it is imperative that Nicks step up and be a big time playmaker for this offense.  So far so good.  Nicks' performance makes him the Fat Know-It-All's player of the week for week 1.  So congrats Mr Nicks, I know you're excited!