CHARLOTTE – The Giants' stance on how last year's game against the Panthers will impact preparation for Sunday's meeting was detailed earlier today.
Head coach Ron Rivera offered his take on the Panthers' mindset, specifically discussing whether last season's 36-7 defeat at Bank of America Stadium will serve as added motivation.
"I don't think that should motivate you," Rivera said. "You shouldn't have to be motivated to play in the league, first of all. Secondly, this is a very good football team that's coming in. I think that's motivation enough.
"But I think for some guys it will most certainly be a little something that they may fall back to."
That was the Panthers' most lopsided loss of the 2012 season – something the players haven't forgotten. They'll get a chance to erase that memory when they host the Giants once again in Week 3.
And this time, they'll take the field with two members of the 2012 Giants wearing Panther blue in wide receiver Domenik Hixon and linebacker Chase Blackburn
"It's helped a ton. Chase is such a smart guy, and he remembers a lot of good useful information," safety Mike Mitchell said. "Also, Domenik played wide receiver in that system, so he knows them very well. It's good to sit down with him and get a lot of information on how they like to run their routes and what concepts we are going to be getting."
Hixon hopes his knowledge of the Giants will help him come away with a second consecutive win in this Carolina-New York matchup.
"Just taking notes, writing down my friends' names that I played with has been a little different," Hixon said. "I've known those guys and played with them for so long, so I know what I'm going to get."
BEASON WORKING INTO SHAPE: Linebacker Jon Beason hasn't completely felt like his old self the first two games of the season.
"I haven't been able to feel great out there," Beason said. "But I've been good enough to be effective. That's the thought process going into it.
He's used days off from practice to help manage pain as he works back from offseason knee surgery, and Beason admits the recovery to full strength has been frustrating.
"Absolutely (it's frustrating)," he said. "But I don't expect to show up on Sunday and just be great. The way to be great is to prepare, the way you train, the way you practice, the preparation, the film room. When you don't have that stuff, it works against you and you have to fight through those things.
"(I'm) building toward getting back to who I know I can be."
Rivera is confident Beason will gradually recapture his high level of play.
"He's got to continue to work to get into football shape," Rivera said. "I expect his play to continue to get better and better."
INJURY UPDATE: Rivera revealed that safety Quintin Mikell (ankle) and running back Kenjon Barner (foot) have been ruled out for Week 3.
And he's worried defensive tackle Dwan Edwards (thigh) may join them. Edwards has not practiced this week.
"Yes, there is (concern)," Rivera said. "He's a veteran guy, an older guy and this has been a nagging thing. What you're hoping for is tomorrow if he runs around, he tells you it doesn't grab. Then you feel good about it. We'll see how he is tomorrow."
Rivera is hopeful for good news on cornerback Josh Thomas (concussion), who like fellow-cornerback Josh Norman (thigh), was limited in practice.
"He went out and did the stuff that he was supposed to," Rivera said. "Hopefully, things will continue to progress and we get clearance for him."
