What do the Giants and Cardinals have in common as they face off Sunday in the desert? Both are playing out the string and might have new head coaches and starting quarterbacks in the 2018 season. The Cards are home NFL odds favorites.
Arizona has a solid defense. It is seventh in the NFL in yards allowed (319.9 per game) and sixth defending the run (92.1, including just 85.4 yards in Arizona home games). Opposing teams are averaging just 3.5 yards a carry. The defense has been particularly stingy in the last four games, giving up a league-best 236.0 yards a game. The Cards allowed just 27 points in their last two games, including a 12-7 victory over Tennessee two weeks ago.
DE Chandler Jones leads the NFL with 15 sacks on the season and could become the first Cardinals player to finish atop the NFL leaderboard in that category. If Jones gets two sacks in the final two games, he will also set a new franchise-record.
Starting running back Kerwynn Williams remained sidelined at Thursday’s practice. He injured his quad in Sunday’s loss to Washington. Elijhaa Penny and D.J. Foster will share backfield work if Williams can’t suit up against the Giants. The Cards already have lost RBs David Johnson and Adrian Peterson for the season.
How to Bet Giants at Cardinals NFL Odds & Game Info
When: Sunday, 4:25 PM ET Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Az. TV: Fox Radio: WFAN 660 AM (NY) / Sports 620 KTAR (Arizona) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Odds: Cardinals -3.5 (40)5️⃣ key takeaways from Thursday’s practice as the #NYGiants gear up to take on the Cardinals. 📰 » https://t.co/2BMm4Htj9k pic.twitter.com/byM4PnaE7u
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2017
Weather Forecast
- Partly Cloudy: 21°C/69°F
- Humidity: 18%
- Precipitation: 0%
- Wind: 3 mph SSE
- Cloud Cover: 49%
- Type of Stadium: Retractable
Last Meeting
In Week 2 of the 2014 season, the Giants lost 25-14 at home to Arizona. Ted Ginn Jr. ran 71 yards on a punt return for a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown, and Cards backup Drew Stanton was solid. Stanton threw for 167 yards and led the Cardinals on three long scoring drives. Eli Manning threw for 277 yards and two scores but was picked off twice. The visiting team has won the last four games in this series, the Giants in 2008 and 2011, the Cardinals in 2009 and 2014.Why Bet on NY Giants?
Arizona has not been good covering the spread in 2017 with an ATS of 4-9-1, which is tied for the third worst mark in the NFL this season. As for the Giants, although they’re just 1-6 on the road this year, they are 4-3 ATS. Eli Manning has never lost at University of Phoenix Stadium (2-0). New York played one of its best games of the season last week, offensively at least, but couldn’t hold a lead in 34-29 loss to the NFC-best Eagles. Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was able to confuse the Eagles with going up-tempo, and the result was a season-high 29 points, 27 first downs, 504 yards, and going 10-for-18 on third down. Sterling Shepard led the way with 11 receptions for 139 yards, including a 67-yard score. Tavarres King also added two touchdowns, but he remains in the concussion protocol. Eli Manning has attempted 103 passes over the two weeks since returning to starter duty, and he went nuts in Week 15, reaching a season-best 434 passing yards and three touchdowns. It was 26th time in the Giants’ regular-season history in which they threw at least 50 passes. Their record in those games is 2-24, including 2-22 when one quarterback throws all of the passes. Manning has been the sole quarterback for each of the last 11 50-pass games, including the Giants’ two victories in such contests. Sunday’s game was the 47th in which Manning threw at least three touchdown passes (including 12 with four touchdowns, and one each with five and six). That is the eighth-highest total in history, and the fifth-highest among active players, one behind San Diego’s Philip Rivers. The Giants usually enjoy a favorable outcome when Manning throws exactly three touchdown passes; they are 25-8 in such games.Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 16.29
- Total Yards: 311
- Pass Yards: 222
- Rush Yards: 89
- Average Score Against: 25.36
- Total Yards: 391.79
- Pass Yards: 263.36
- Rush Yards: 128.43
Why Bet on Arizona?
The Cards lost Carson Palmer weeks ago to a broken arm. Stanton replaced him and played OK before getting hurt. Blaine Gabbert replaced him for a few weeks but the team is going back to Stanton here. Coach Bruce Arians’ decision came on the heels of a subpar performance from Gabbert last Sunday in which the quarterback completed just 16 of 41 passes for only 189 passing yards with no touchdowns and an interception in a 20-15 loss at Washington. In five starts for the Cards this season, Gabbert has accumulated 1,086 passing yards to go with six touchdowns and six interceptions on a 55.6 completion percentage. Stanton has played in three games (two starts) and put up 540 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions on a 48.4 completion percentage. One reasons Arians decided to go with Gabbert instead of Stanton last month was because Stanton was injured to the point he couldn’t protect himself by getting out of dangerous situations during games. He has his mobility back.
Arizona has a solid defense. It is seventh in the NFL in yards allowed (319.9 per game) and sixth defending the run (92.1, including just 85.4 yards in Arizona home games). Opposing teams are averaging just 3.5 yards a carry. The defense has been particularly stingy in the last four games, giving up a league-best 236.0 yards a game. The Cards allowed just 27 points in their last two games, including a 12-7 victory over Tennessee two weeks ago.
DE Chandler Jones leads the NFL with 15 sacks on the season and could become the first Cardinals player to finish atop the NFL leaderboard in that category. If Jones gets two sacks in the final two games, he will also set a new franchise-record.
Starting running back Kerwynn Williams remained sidelined at Thursday’s practice. He injured his quad in Sunday’s loss to Washington. Elijhaa Penny and D.J. Foster will share backfield work if Williams can’t suit up against the Giants. The Cards already have lost RBs David Johnson and Adrian Peterson for the season.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 17.57
- Total Yards: 320.22
- Pass Yards: 234.79
- Rush Yards: 85.43
- Average Score Against: 24.07
- Total Yards: 313.29
- Pass Yards: 221.29
- Rush Yards: 92
Latest NFL Odds Trends
- NY Giants is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
- NY Giants is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Giants’s last 5 games
- Arizona is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 games
- Arizona is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Arizona’s last 13 games
