CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cam Newton tried to tell everyone who would listen last week that the Carolina Panthers were much better than an 0-2 team. He and his teammates went out and proved it. Newton threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, and Carolina sacked Eli Manning seven times as the Panthers handed Tom Coughlin his worst defeat as coach of the New York Giants, 38-0 on Sunday. The Panthers posted the most lopsided victory in franchise history, helping to eliminate questions about coach Ron Riveras job security entering the teams bye week. "I told a couple of guys we were past due for a win like this," Newton said. "A win like this boosts our ego and gives us that swagger we need." Carolinas previous best rout was a 34-0 win over Kansas City in 2008. This one couldnt have come at a better time for Rivera, especially after his team squandered fourth-quarter leads to Seattle and Buffalo. That dropped his record to 2-14 in games decided by seven points or fewer and raised speculation about his job. "We allowed Coach, as people say, to survive another week," Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith said. Defensive end Greg Hardy, who tied a career-high with three sacks in the first half, said if Rivera was feeling pressure to win he never let on to his players at practice. "He basically came out and said, You know what, (to heck with) me, Im here for you guys," Hardy said. "He said, This is what were going to do. Were going to win because we are a team not because of any of that. It makes you want to play 10 times harder for him." The Giants have plenty of concerns as they prepare for next Sundays game against unbeaten Kansas City. Of the 161 teams that have started the season 0-3 since 1978, only five made the NFL playoffs, according to STATS. A terse Coughlin said after the game "Disappointed isnt a strong enough word. I expected more." The Giants offensive line appears to be a mess. New York came in with only 73 yards rushing in its first two games and managed just 60 yards Sunday, 40 coming after the Giants trailed 31-0. Manning was under pressure all day and finished 12 of 23 for 119 yards with two interceptions. He couldnt take advantage of an injury-depleted secondary. The seven sacks tied a Carolina franchise record. "We didnt give ourselves a chance to go after that chopped-up secondary because they did an outstanding job up front," Coughlin said. "They ended up with seven sacks, and our quarterback must have gotten hit 20 times." Manning was also searching for answers. "We have to find ways to slow down the pass rush," he said. "Whether that is running the ball with screens or getting the ball out quicker." The Panthers set the tone early, sacking Manning five times in the first quarter. They limited the Giants to 18 total yards -- and just 1 yard passing -- in the first half and took a 17-0 lead to the locker room. The Panthers offence, feeding off the defence, finally got things rolling. Offensive co-ordinator Mike Shula allowed Newton to run out of the read option, which helped open up an offence that had been mostly stagnant this season. Newton had 223 yards passing and threw two touchdown passes to Brandon LaFell and one to Ted Ginn Jr. He ran for 45 yards and his first TD of the season. DeAngelo Williams ran for 120 yards on 23 carries. The Panthers turned to a read-option on their second possession, something they used frequently the last two seasons but havent gone to much this year. Newton ran four times for 40 yards on the drive, with fullback Mike Tolbert scoring on a 2-yard run. Newton said that was designed to neutralize defensive end Jason Pierre-Pauls pass rush. "The game plan was to attack and nuke his aggressiveness and turn it into his curse," Newton said. The Panthers pushed their lead to 17-0 at the break on a 53-yard field goal by Graham Gano and a 16-yard touchdown pass from Newton to LaFell with 12 seconds left in the half. The Panthers kept the gas pedal down in the second half, putting the game away by scoring on its first two possessions of the third quarter as Newton connected on a 20-yard strike to LaFell and then scored a quarterback draw. Newton later connected on a 47-yard TD pass with Ginn. Newton said after two close losses, the Panthers didnt want to leave any doubt about this one after halftime. NOTES: Former New York Giant Chase Blackburn started in place of three-time Pro Bowler Jon Beason at weak side linebacker for the Panthers. ... New York CB Aaron Ross started in place of injured Corey Webster. He intercepted Newton early but later gave up a pair of touchdown passes. ... Giants RB David Wilson had a 17-yard touchdown run nullified by a holding penalty. ... Undrafted Carolina rookie safety Robert Lester had an interception in his first NFL start. Adidas Ozweego España . The team said they will announce a corresponding roster move prior to their series opener on Tuesday night in Kansas City. Adidas NMD Baratas Originales . He learned about pressure and expectations at the 2010 Games in his hometown of Vancouver. His next mission is to build on that experience at his next Olympic appearance in Sochi, where he plans to ride the momentum from the teams strong start to the season. http://www.baratasnmd.com/. -- Jaye Marie Green shot a course-record 10-under 62 on Wednesday to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Adidas NMD Mujer Baratas .TV Series: Duck Dynasty. Adidas NMD R1 Mujer Baratas . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tobias Harris said once the Orlando Magic had a lead, they didnt want to give it up. Hard to blame him given the way things have gone in recent weeks.That has been a killer for us — having the lead and not sustaining it, Harris said.Orlando led for the final three quarters and withstood a career-high 42 points from Kemba Walker to beat the Charlotte Hornets 102-94 on Saturday night.Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Harris scored 21 points and the Magic beat the Hornets for the second time this season in Charlotte.Victor Oladipo scored 13 points, Evan Fournier had 12, and Ben Gordon and Elfrid Payton each had 11 for the Magic (12-21) in a balanced scoring attack.In the past, we havent been able to hold on to the lead, Vucevic said. They made some runs but they never made the big run to tie the game and we were able to hold them off.Walker scored a Charlotte-record 35 in the second half and finished 15 of 30 from the field with five 3-pointers. Its the seventh time in the last 10 games Walker has scored at least 20 points.I had a career night, a great game but it just wasnt enough, Walker said. ... Our problem wasnt offensively, it was defensively. We didnt execute our game plan on defence and they crushed us.Hornets coach Steve Clifford wasnt happy with his teams overall effort, outside of Walkers performance that he called phenomenal.He can be a cornerstone player for teams that go deep into the playoffs because of his competitiveness, Clifford said. He just has a competitive spirit that is contagious to me. He played 42 minutes back-to-back and did not want to come out (of the game)).dddddddddddd He kept us in the game.The Magic led 52-42 at halftime after outscoring the Hornets 28-18 in the paint.Walker had 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the third quarter, but the Hornets werent able to cut into Orlandos double-digit lead until late in the game.Charlotte got within six with 30 seconds left, but Walkers 3-point attempt from the top of the key rattled out.Vucevic added two free throws with 22 seconds remaining to help seal the victory.Vucevic was the key for Orlando.He stepped out and knocked down jump shots early against Al Jefferson, forcing the Hornets to guard him. When they did, he found teammates in the passing lanes and helped open up the offence.I feel like Ive always been a good passer and can read the defences pretty well, Vucevic said. The last two games, whenever Ive caught it, defences make moves and people cut and I find them going to the basket. Im just trying to find the open spaces.Jefferson, who is battling a groin injury, had 14 points and nine rebounds after being held to four by Oklahoma City on Friday night.___TIP-INSMagic: Harris has scored in double figures in all 31 games he has played this season, the longest streak of his career.Hornets: Lance Stephenson missed his sixth straight game with a groin injury. Clifford said Stephenson likely will likely miss Monday nights game against Milwaukee.BELK BOWL CROWDPlayers from the Louisville and Georgia college football teams were attendance at the game. Those teams will meet here in Charlotte on Tuesday night in the Belk Bowl.UP NEXTMagic: Visit Miami on Monday night.Hornets: Host Milwaukee on Monday night. ' ' '