(My Sportsbook) - A week after losing to the greatest head coach in franchise history, Jim Fassel will end his tenure with the New York Giants on Sunday against his former defensive coordinator, John Fox, and the Carolina Panthers.

Fassel's Giants dropped a 19-3 decision to the Dallas Cowboys last week. It was New York's seventh straight loss since winning consecutive games to get to 4-4. Fassel was notified by team management prior to last week's game that the club would part ways with him after the 2003 season. Fassel graciously agreed to coach the team for the remainder of the regular season.

"Knowing this is going to be the end, there are a lot of things I want to get in place," said Fassel, who has been at the helm since 1997. "Not only the game, but the closing down of the season and my era here.

"I want to make sure, first and foremost, that my staff has its concerns addressed. I've got some things set up so they can sit down with the organization and get all the little questions answered. I want to make sure that they're all taken care of. I'll make a fairly swift exit so they can move on. I'll be here for the postseason meeting on Monday, cross the Ts, dot the Is, make sure everything is organized for the exit physicals and everyone follows through with what they're supposed to do and be here, and then I'll get out of here."

The NFC South-champion Panthers are shooting to close the regular season with three straight victories. A week after snapping a three-game skid with a narrow victory in Arizona, the Panthers topped Detroit at home, 20-14. Fox now finds himself in an interesting position entering a season finale with the playoffs on the horizon.

"As you are trying to get ready for a season, just like we are trying to get ready for the playoffs, it is a fine line," said Fox, who will enter his first NFL postseason tournament as a head coach. "It is a very fine line and getting your team ready to play, and yet having guys available to play. So, it's very hard. It's much the same juggling act you do in the preseason when you are trying to get your team battle-tested, you want to make sure you have a team left when you get to battle. It's been a little bit like that the last two weeks. I think last week was probably a little bit more difficult in that we did have five guys that were nicked. It wasn't a matter of just holding them out as it was they just weren't 100 percent ready to play.

"This week will be a little bit different because some of those same guys are a week better. We are going to play who is healthy and play them as needed. This is a game that we need to win. It affects the seedings of the playoffs and we are going to be doing everything in our power to win."

The Giants, who are 1-6 at home this season, haven't won at Giants Stadium since a season-opening victory over St. Louis.

SERIES HISTORY: The Panthers lead the regular-season series, 1-0.

Carolina claimed the lone meeting between these teams on November 10, 1996 in Charlotte. The Panthers outscored the Giants 17-3 in the second half en route to a 27-17 triumph.

Neither Fox nor Fassel has faced the opposing club. Fox was New York's defensive coordinator from 1997-2001.

The Panthers have won seven games by three points or less, equaling the NFL's single-season record (Arizona Cardinals, 1998).

PANTHERS OFFENSE VS. GIANTS DEFENSE

As the regular season winds down, the Panthers' offense is taking form. Carolina will never be confused with St. Louis or Kansas City, but QB Jake Delhomme has raised his level of play in recent weeks.

Last week, Delhomme completed 29-of-35 passes (83 percent) for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Carolina held the ball for 38:14 and converted 7-of-14 third downs. Delhomme hit nine different receivers with completions and seems to finally feel comfortable with his role in the team's run-first offense.

"That's just kind of the way we play. We have a solid defense, ball control on offense, running the football a great deal and solid special teams," said Delhomme. "That formula will call for a lot of close games. We just have a belief that if things get close at the end we can get it done. We started early in the season winning some games like that and you just have to be the same person when you get in those situations and guys have to make plays. That is the biggest thing -- different guys have stepped up throughout the season. They are not looking around for someone else to make the play, they want to be the guy to make the play and I think that can go a long way."

RB Stephen Davis's ankle injury allowed backup DeShaun Foster to carry 21 times for 76 yards last week versus Detroit. The Panthers boast a balanced offense, as they average more running plays (33) than passing attempts (29) per game.

Davis, who has a club-record 1,387 rushing yards, is expected to play in Week 17 versus New York. The bullish back needs 46 more yards for a new career-high mark, and has a great shot to do so against a reeling New York defense. Davis' seven 100-yard games in 2003 are a career-best and his team has a 19-6 record (.760) when he rushes for 100 yards or more. He has three career 100-yard games against the Giants.

Pro Bowl DE Michael Strahan has been one of the few bright spots for the 4-11 Giants. Strahan, who has 17 sacks on the year, needs three more for his second-career 20-sack campaign.

Giants defensive tackle Keith Hamilton could be playing his final NFL game on Sunday. The 12-year veteran has spent his entire career with the Giants, but could choose to retire instead of proving himself to a new coach.

"I think deep down inside he feels like where he is and with me leaving that it may be the appropriate time for him," Fassel said. "But I don't know. That is his choice and he should worry about himself and what he really wants to do. The best advice I could give him is to let the season get over, let yourself heal up a little bit and think about these things and then make a decision."

GIANTS OFFENSE VS. PANTHERS DEFENSE

For all the preseason hype surrounding the Giants' high-powered offense, the unit was one of the biggest disappointments of the NFL's 2003 campaign.

Injuries to Jeremy Shockey, Kerry Collins, Ike Hilliard and 60 percent of its starting offensive line hampered the offense's mid- to late-season production, but the unit wasn't too impressive even when it had all its parts. The Giants scored 30 or more points twice this season, but won only one of those games.

New York's offense heads into the season finale ranked 31st in the league in points per game (14.6). Due to falling behind early in many games, the Giants have been forced to throw the football much more than they anticipated. The Giants average 24.5 rushing attempts per game (31st-NFL) and 38.2 passes per contest (1st-NFL).

Veteran wideout Amani Toomer has managed to have another strong campaign despite the offense's shortcomings. Toomer's 66 receiving yards last week in Dallas pushed his season total to 1,010 and put him in some very elite company.

This is the fifth consecutive season in which Toomer has more than 1,000 receiving yards, tying him with Indy's Marvin Harrison for the second-longest current streak in the NFL. Randy Moss of Minnesota leads the list with six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Just behind Toomer and Harrison are Torry Holt (St. Louis) and Terrell Owens (San Francisco) with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. All of these players have a way to go before they challenge the all- time record. Jerry Rice, now with Oakland, had 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons from 1986-96 when he was with the 49ers. No other Giant in history has more than three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Del Shofner did it from 1961-63, and Homer Jones matched the feat from 1966-68.

Jesse Palmer, who is 0-2 as the starting quarterback, is the first Giant to lose his first two starts since Collins in 1999. The Florida product will start his third straight game for the Giants on Sunday.

The Giants' offense has scored 10 points under Palmer in two games. However, Palmer has not been intercepted in 73 pass attempts this season.

Carolina's defense is the biggest reason to believe the Panthers will go a long way in the postseason. The Panthers' defense limited Detroit to 106 net yards of offense. Lions quarterbacks combined to complete 7-of-19 passes for 53 yards and one interception last week. Carolina also held the Lions to a paltry 2.5 yard per carry average.

For the season, the Panthers rank ninth in the NFL in points allowed (18.7 ppg) and 11th in total defense (303.3).