Giants Seek to Celebrate Another Win in Arizona

Football Betting Lines

11/21/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - University of Phoenix Stadium has provided a number of warm memories for the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. The New York Giants have a fond recollection of the state-of-the-art stadium from this calendar year as well.

The Giants return to the site of their recent Super Bowl victory this Sunday, when the reigning world champions take on an Arizona squad that has yet to lose at home this season in one of the marquee matchups of the Week 12 slate.

New York's remarkable run to the Vince Lombardi Trophy ended with its dramatic 17-14 comeback win over the then-unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, held at University of Phoenix Stadium last February. The Giants haven't rested on the laurels of that historical achievement either, as Big Blue has amassed a stellar 9-1 record thus far in 2008 that stands as the top mark in the NFC at the moment.

The Cardinals aren't far off the pace in the race for the conference's top seed, thanks to wins in five of the team's last six games. At 7-3, Arizona is on the verge of capturing its first division title in 33 years and ending a postseason drought that has lasted since 1998.

Arizona currently boasts a commanding four-game lead over second-place San Francisco in an undermanned NFC West with six to play. If the Cardinals can knock off the powerful Giants on Sunday, they will seize their first division crown since winning the NFC East in 1975 if the 49ers lose at Dallas this weekend and Seattle either loses or ties its game with Washington.

The Cardinals enter this showdown between division leaders on a three-game winning streak and are a perfect 4-0 at home this year. In fact, the club has emerged victorious in eight of its last nine contests at University of Phoenix Stadium dating back to last season.

Arizona will have to deal with a significant step up in class on Sunday, however. Its three most recent wins have come at the expense of division members St. Louis, San Francisco and Seattle -- teams that are a combined 7-23 for the year.

The Giants have ripped off five straight wins since a 35-14 setback at Cleveland in Week 6, with the latest triumph coming at home against the surging Baltimore Ravens in impressive fashion. New York gutted the NFL's top- ranked rushing defense for 207 yards on the ground to pave the way for a surprisingly easy 30-10 decision.

The G-Men enter Sunday's clash averaging an NFL-best 172.7 rushing yards per game and also top the league with 292 points. Arizona, meanwhile, stands second overall in scoring (289 points), total offense (392.7 ypg) and passing offense (305.8 ypg).

SERIES HISTORY

The Giants hold a 78-41-2 lead in their all-time series with the Cardinals, which dates back to the 1926 season, including a 42-19 home romp in the most recent meeting, in Week 1 of the 2006 campaign. Arizona won the two previous matchups, including a 17-14 home victory during the 2004 campaign. The Giants are 0-2 against the Cardinals in Arizona since last winning there in 2001, though as mentioned, University of Phoenix Stadium was the site of their Super Bowl XLII triumph.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has a career record of 2-1 against Arizona, including a win while at the helm of the Jaguars in 2000. The Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt will be meeting both Coughlin and the Giants for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

New York's devastating rushing attack has churned out over 200 yards in each of the last three weeks, and is averaging a league-leading 5.3 yards per carry to boot. The relentless onslaught is headed up by the massive Brandon Jacobs (879 rushing yards, 11 TD, 5 receptions), who bulldozed Baltimore for 73 yards and two scores on only 11 attempts before leaving last Sunday's tilt in the third quarter with a mild knee sprain. Early indications are that the 264- pound back will be active for this weekend, but Jacobs' load may be reduced due to the Giants' enviable backfield depth. Third-down Derrick Ward (531 rushing yards, 1 TD, 27 receptions) and second-year pro Ahmad Bradshaw (301 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 2 total TD) have both shined when called upon this year, with the latter bursting through for a late 77-yard run that helped finish off the Ravens.

Arizona has shown to be no slouch in defending the run this season, having yielded a scant 89.8 rushing yards per game (7th overall) and only 3.8 yards per attempt. The unit smothered Seattle's ground game a week ago, limiting the Seahawks to a mere 43 yards on 22 totes. The Cardinals possess one of the game's top run-stopping safeties in the hard-hitting Adrian Wilson (39 tackles, 2 INT, 2 sacks), while Karlos Dansby (70 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) and Gerald Hayes (54 tackles) give the team a pair of quality linebackers. Up front, tackle Darnell Dockett (27 tackles, 3 sacks) is an active disruptor who garnered his first Pro Bowl nod last year.

The Cards haven't been as skilled in stopping opposing quarterbacks, with the defense having surrendered a league-high 19 touchdown passes and an average of 210 passing yards per contest (16th overall). There's talent in the secondary, however, as rookie first-round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (21 tackles, 2 INT, 9 PD) picked off a pair of Matt Hasselbeck throws in last week's win over the Seahawks and Roderick Hood (29 tackles, 1 INT, 10 PD) is having a solid year at the opposite corner. Hood did leave the Seattle game early with injured ribs, though, and his status for Sunday is in question. If he's unavailable, pass rushers Travis LaBoy (27 tackles, 4 sacks) and Chike Okeafor (30 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT) will be counted on to apply consistent pressure to help ease a potentially costly loss.

New York's recent prowess at running the football has led to fewer opportunities for quarterback Eli Manning (2079 passing yards, 15 TD, 7 INT), who hasn't had a 200-yard day since a Week 5 rout over Seattle. The easygoing field general also hasn't been overly sharp lately following a terrific start to the season, and he's completed less than 60 percent of his throws in five straight games. Top wide receiver Plaxico Burress (35 receptions, 4 TD) is having a down year as well, although the 6-foot-5 target remains a dangerous weapon in red-zone situations. Tight end Kevin Boss (19 receptions, 4 TD) had a touchdown catch in three consecutive games before being held catchless last week, while slotman Steve Smith (37 receptions, 1 TD) and 13th-year veteran Amani Toomer (30 receptions, 2 TD) are steady possession types who aren't viewed as game-breakers. The Giants' sturdy offensive line has done a good job protecting Manning, who's been only sacked 12 times this year.

WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL

Whereas the Giants prefer to ram the ball down the enemy's throats, Arizona challenges the opposition with a prolific aerial attack that has revitalized the career of 37-year-old quarterback Kurt Warner. The one-time Giant has made a convincing case for a third career league MVP award by ranking second in the NFL in passing yards (3,155) and touchdown throws (20) entering this week, plus he's connected on an outstanding 70.9 percent of his attempts. It helps that Warner has arguably the NFL's best pass-catching duo in wide receivers Anquan Boldin (62 receptions, 792 yards, 10 TD) and Larry Fitzgerald (67 receptions, 939 yards, 6 TD) at his disposal. Boldin leads the league with 10 touchdown grabs despite missing two games following a frightening helmet-to- helmet collision in late September, while Fitzgerald is fresh off a 10-catch, 151-yard effort against the Seahawks. Sophomore Steve Breaston (48 receptions, 642 yards, 1 TD) has emerged as an excellent No. 3 receiver and is another reason why Warner has thrown for at least 328 yards in four consecutive weeks.

Warner figures to be tested by a Giants defense that is permitting only 174.8 yards per game through the air, the second-lowest mark in the league, and is extremely proficient at harassing the passer. Ends Justin Tuck (41 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 INT) and Mathias Kiwanuka (30 tackles, 6.5 sacks) have been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks all season long, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to bring heat from all angles with a flurry of blitz schemes. Cornerbacks Corey Webster (30 tackles, 3 INT, 15 PD) and Aaron Ross (42 tackles, 2 INT, 6 PD) will be put in charge of trying to slow down Boldin and Fitzgerald, but Ross should have some added confidence after recording two interceptions and running one back for a score in the Baltimore game. New York is expected to have nickel back Kevin Dockery (26 tackles, 1 INT, 6 PD) in uniform this week after sitting out the last three tilts with a fracture in his lower back. That's good news, since Ross may not be at 100 percent on Sunday after tweaking his hamstring against the Ravens.

While the Cardinals can be nearly unstoppable when they air it out, the team's running game leaves much to be desired. Aging veteran Edgerrin James (385 rushing yards, 3 TD, 10 receptions) lost his job as the main running back to rookie Tim Hightower (299 rushing yards, 7 TD, 24 receptions) earlier this month after a string of ineffective outings, but the youngster hasn't exactly taken advantage of the opportunity. Hightower has mustered just 57 rushing yards over the last two weeks and is averaging a meager 3.1 yards per carry on the year. With James entrenched in Whisenhunt's doghouse, J.J. Arrington (123 rushing yards, 12 receptions, 2 total TD) has seen an increased role and responded with a rushing and receiving touchdown in last Sunday's win.

Arizona's ground struggles could very well continue for another week, considering the Giants rank eighth in the NFL in rushing defense (91.0 ypg) and have not let an individual player run for over 100 yards this season. New York is particularly strong up the middle, where interior pluggers Fred Robbins (23 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and Barry Cofield (30 tackles, 2 sacks) routinely clog up the lanes and valued middle linebacker Antonio Pierce (54 tackles, 1 sack) rarely misses a tackle. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco led his team with 57 rushing yards on six scrambles against the G-Men last week, but the lead-footed Warner doesn't have anywhere near that kind of mobility.

FANTASY FOCUS

With the possible exception of Drew Brees, there's hasn't been a better fantasy quarterback this year than Warner, nor a superior pair of receivers than Arizona's deadly combo of Boldin and Fitzgerald. The trio are always must-starts regardless of the opponent, even one as formidable as the Giants. New York's point-producing stud is a tougher call. It's hard to leave Jacobs, a virtual cash register at the goal line, out of lineups if he's active, but his owners should be wary of the threat of less carries due to his sore knee. That in turn gives Ward a boost as a potential flex play. Giants receivers have been a disappointing group from a fantasy perspective, but Burress and maybe Boss have promise in a matchup with a Cardinals defense that gives up a lot of TD passes. Manning should be avoided unless there aren't better alternatives, and stay away from Arizona's shaky running back situation if at all possible as well.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Cardinals have a golden opportunity to quiet the naysayers who regard their strong record as the product of playing nearly half their games within a cookie-dough soft division, and they've got the firepower to give the defending champs a serious run for their money. On the other hand, it's becoming clearer by the week that the Giants are a team on a mission, and it's doubtful they'll step off the accelerator against an opponent New York could very well be facing again come January. It's more believable that the Giants can slow down Warner and Arizona's star-studded receiving corps than the Cardinals can put a halt to New York's steamroller of a running game, therefore give Big Blue a slight edge in what should be an entertaining game that really could go either way.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Giants 27, Cardinals 23