Carolina Panthers defense ready for Odell Beckham Jr.

CHARLOTTE -- In less than two seasons, Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has staked his claim as the most explosive and exciting threat in the NFL. His big games and one-handed highlights have wowed fans weekly.

Opposing coaches tend to have a different view.

"It's frightening," head coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday.

Six days before his Carolina Panthers take their 13-0 record up to New York, Rivera was one of the millions watching Monday night when Beckham put on his latest freak show. He torched the Dolphins' defense for 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The first was mind-blowing. The second was when Miami's defense somehow let the beast roam wide open for an 84-yard score.

"He's an animal," Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said.

While Newton has continued to strengthen his case for MVP, his opposite number has been desperately trying to keep the Giants in the playoff race. Having Beckham sure helps.

Quarterback Eli Manning, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his 337-yard, four-touchdown performance Monday night, leads the league in touchdown passes of 50 or more yards. He's had six of those. All but one have gone to Beckham.

But unlike most of the other defenses he's torn apart, Beckham hasn't faced a cornerback like the one he'll see this weekend.

According to NFL Network research, Carolina's Josh Norman has held Houston's DeAndre Hopkins, Tampa Bay's Mike Evans, Indianapolis' T.Y. Hilton, Dallas' Dez Bryant and Atlanta's Julio Jones to a combined nine receptions and 89 yards. Now Norman will battle Beckham, whose eight games this season with more than 100 receiving yards includes a current run of six straight.

"This will be another big, big, big, bigger, biggest matchups," said Rivera, who can be a lot less scared with a shutdown corner in his pocket.

"(Beckham's) the complete deal; he's the real deal. It should be a fun challenge for us as a defense and for Josh."

SERIES HISTORY: 9th regular-season meeting. Series tied, 4-4. The teams met only twice from 1996-2003 but have faced off seven times in the regular season since 2006.

GAME PLAN

--Former Giants executive and current Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman believes there are three tenets to winning: run the ball, stop the run, rush the passer.

This week, his second-ranked rushing offense faces New York's middle-of-the-pack run defense. Even without starter Jonathan Stewart (foot sprain), the Panthers should be able to extend their streak to 25 straight games with at least 100 rushing yards.

Defensively, Carolina has been suffocating teams on the ground, and Sunday shouldn't be any different. The Panthers' fourth-ranked run defense needs to make the Giants' 32nd-ranked ground game irrelevant from the start.

The Giants have done a good job protecting QB Eli Manning, who's been sacked just 21 times. But the Panthers have racked up 40 sacks, third-most in the league, and they should be able to get to Manning enough to force him into a multiple mistakes.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH

--Panthers CB Josh Norman, who hasn't allowed a touchdown since Week 1, vs. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr., who's scored eight times in his past six games.

--Panthers QB Cam Newton, who's thrown 19 touchdowns in his past seven games, vs. Giants passing defense, which is the league's 32nd-ranked unit.