Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Giants: Complete Week 2 Preview for New York
Two teams from opposite sides of the country, headed in opposite directions, will meet in MetLife Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
The visitors, the Arizona Cardinals, are fresh off a fourth-quarter comeback. The Cardinals are 1-0 after knocking off the San Diego Chargers, 18-17, in Monday's nightcap. A few Giants fans on the East Coast, up late while grieving the loss of Week 1, may have drank until Carson Palmer looked enough like Eli Manning, and a fantasy could be conjured about New York's own 30-plus-year-old quarterback leading a fourth-quarter comeback once again.
The hosts, the New York Giants, are collecting the pieces after a Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. The offensive puzzle was scattered all over Ford Field as Big Blue was blown out, 35-14. New York will try to fit those pieces back together against the Cardinals in front of a home crowd, hoping they fit more perfectly in Week 2 than they did in the season opener.
This series dates back 88 years, spanning 85 contests. The first meeting was Nov. 7, 1926: New York 20, Chicago 0. From pre-modern Midwestern middling games to regular combat in the NFC East to cross-country once-in-a-whiles, the Giants-Cardinals rivalry has seen many episodes, the majority of which New York has dominated. The Giants hold more than a slight all-time series edge with an 81-42-2 record.
Read on for the latest news, injury reports, matchups to watch and more.
Week 1 Recap
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The Giants' regular-season debut looked an awful lot like last year's horrendous rollout. Against the Detroit Lions, with Jim Caldwell in his first season as head coach, New York lost, 35-14. The defense gave up big plays. The offense sputtered through four quarters of action.
On Detroit's first drive of the game, Calvin Johnson broke open for a 67-yard touchdown in which he was able to walk into the end zone uncontested. Although the Lions and Giants kept playing for another 57 football minutes, the game was effectively over the moment Johnson caught that ball.
While Eli Manning struggled to guide the Giants offense, completing only 18 of 33 pass attempts (54.5 percent) for 163 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, Stafford was exceptional. The Lions passer picked apart New York's allegedly revamped secondary for 346 yards and two touchdowns, completing 22 of his 32 attempts (68.8 percent).
Johnson's seven catches accounted for 163 yards of Stafford's passing total. The Giants had no answer for Johnson, as cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie spent most of the night chasing him around the field.
The Giants defended the run well enough to make Detroit one-dimensional, limiting the Lions to just 76 yards on 30 carries (2.5 yards per carry). The Lions, however, were talented enough on offense to beat down the Giants with only one dimension of their offense fully functioning.
Meanwhile, New York's offense was no-dimensional. The passing game still has not clicked, and the running game offered little breathing room. Running back Rashad Jennings finished the game as the Giants' leading rusher, collecting just 46 yards on 16 carries (one touchdown).
The line was mostly to blame for the offense's general lack of effectiveness.
The leading pass-catcher was tight end Larry Donnell with five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. Jennings was right behind him with four catches for 50 yards. Wide receivers Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle and Jerrel Jernigan combined for eight catches and 50 yards.
It was like a weird Twilight Zone episode in which the receivers think they're linemen and the actual linemen are invisible.
News and Notes
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Big Blue on the Ray Rice Incident
This week's most buzz-worthy topic was the NFL's handling of Ray Rice's domestic violence incident. The former Baltimore Ravens running back was originally suspended for two games, but backlash from fans and (Warning: graphic content) the leak of a new video showing the incident forced the Ravens to cut Rice and the league to suspend him indefinitely.
So where do the Giants factor in?
Well, the NFL has hired former FBI director Robert Mueller III to lead an investigation of the process that led to the punishment of Rice. Giants co-owner John Mara and Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II will oversee this investigation, which will take specific aim at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Before he was nominated for the oversight position, Mara said the notion of Goodell's job being in jeopardy was "misguided," according to Jim Corbett of USA Today.
The team's reaction to the Rice incident is mixed.
Linebacker Mark Herzlich said he would not welcome Rice in the locker room if the Giants were to hypothetically give him a second chance, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Conversely, Rice's former teammate in Baltimore, linebacker Jameel McClain, said he knows the embattled running back as "a great guy," according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
Quarterback Eli Manning cranked out another vanilla, non-controversial defense of the league's actions.
Cardinals Coach: Manning May Need Eight Games to Learn Offense
Remember how painful six consecutive losses were to start the 2013 season?
Now imagine eight.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians didn't exactly predict an 0-8 start for the Giants, but he did say veteran quarterback Carson Palmer took about half a season to master elements of the offense he installed in 2013, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Arians sees that as a reasonable amount of time for the Giants to effectively reprogram Manning.
After throwing two interceptions in the season opener, Manning is clearly uncomfortable in Ben McAdoo's new offense. In his defense, the team is not offering Manning the best possible learning environment. The wide receivers are underwhelming, and the tight end position remains a major concern. In addition, the leaky O-line has Manning learning literally on the fly.
The Giants should invest heavily in their running game until midseason.
Pass-Catchers Plead For Attention
Slot star Victor Cruz says he and fellow receiver Rueben Randle aren't getting enough passes thrown their way, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News.
I think Keyshawn Johnson wrote a book about this exact problem.
Cruz, who only had two catches in Week 1, would have had twice as many receptions had he secured the two balls he dropped. Perhaps Cruz should focus on finishing what's left on his plate before demanding a second serving.
And I can't imagine why Randle was not targeted more often against the Lions. He was really torching Detroit's secondary with that half-yard-per-reception average he posted on Monday night. He may not be best in the two-minute drill, but a receiver like Randle is essential for any offense looking to inch its way downfield.
It's on the Giants' coaching staff to find ways to get the ball in the hands of all their playmakers. The playmakers, on the other hand, should worry about making the most of it when the ball actually reaches their fingertips.
Quote of the Week
Head coach Tom Coughlin told the New York Daily News:
"There was a thought in my mind as a motivational thing to talk about last year as we got into this week, and I decided it was for the best not to go there. Everybody is aware of what was last year...Do I have to hit them right between the eyes with last year and what we certainly don't want to see happen? I don't think so. Quite frankly, this is a new year, it's a different team.
"
Injury Report
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Here's the Giants' injury list as of Sept. 13, from NFL.com:
| Player | Injury | Practice Status | Game Status |
| Markus Kuhn | ankle | Did Not Participate | OUT |
| Odell Beckham Jr. | hamstring | Did Not Participate | OUT |
| James Brewer | back | Did Not Participate | OUT |
| Devon Kennard | hamstring | Did Not Participate | OUT |
| Jason Pierre-Paul | neck | Did Not Participate | Probable |
| Jon Beason | foot | Limited Participation | Probable |
| Cullen Jenkins | hip | Limited Participation | Probable |
| Charles Brown | back | Limited Participation | Probable |
| Steve Weatherford | ankle | Limited Participation | Questionable |
Beason may have suffered a bit of a setback after sitting out some of Thursday's practice. Apparently, the type of playing surface affects his foot, and natural grass is a little more forgiving. Sunday's game is at MetLife Stadium, which features a UBU Sports' Speed Series S5-M playing surface. If Beason can't play on a surface that fancy, he should take up indoor athletics.
Beckham is making some encouraging progress, but what realistic impact can be expected of him when he's finally healthy? The rookie has hardly practiced since the spring. Seasoned veterans still haven't picked up Ben McAdoo's offense; unless the 21-year-old receiver is a football Einstein, he will not transition into the starting lineup smoothly and seamlessly.
Devon Kennard and Steve Weatherford are two particularly disappointing injuries for two different reasons. It is tough to see a promising rookie like Kennard miss time, especially when so much can be learned from experience during the formative years of an NFL career. Weatherford, on the other hand, is more than a valuable special teamer—he's the only punter on the team!
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Matchups and X-Factor to Watch
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Jon Beason vs. Andre Ellington
If Beason is able to play, he'll be in for quite the matchup.
The Cardinals are transitioning from a Larry Fitzgerald-led offense to an Andre Ellington-led offense. Fitzgerald is now 31 years old, and Ellington is a second-year running back who can do it all. Against the San Diego Chargers in Week 1, he rushed 13 times for 53 yards. He also caught five passes for 27 yards; Fitzgerald caught just one pass for 22 yards.
Beason, from his middle linebacker position, must always keep an eye on Ellington. The Cardinals featured running back is always tough to tackle, and he will make defenders pay if they forget to account for him releasing for a pass out of the backfield.
It will be on Beason to prevent Ellington from getting behind the Giants defense.
Rueben Randle vs. Patrick Peterson
Now is not the best week for Randle to plead for more pass targets, and that might be why Cruz did the begging for him.
Randle, the Giants' top outside receiving threat, will likely be covered by Patrick Peterson. The fourth-year player is Arizona's best cornerback, and some will even argue his dominance as the league's premier coverage man. Peterson has been named first-team All-Pro twice already.
A tall, strong catcher with great body control, Randle's strength is not route running and creating separation. He will struggle to get open; his best chance to make a big catch against Peterson will be in a jump-ball situation.
With the risk-taking on the decline, I don't expect Eli Manning to take many shots in Randle's direction, if he is being covered by Peterson.
Giants' Pass Rush vs. Carson Palmer
In Week 1, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford danced around whatever pressure New York threw at him.
The Giants should test Carson Palmer's pocket presence accordingly.
Palmer is 34 years old and nowhere near the most nimble quarterback on New York's 2014 slate. In the past, Palmer has been effectively hassled. Over the past decade, the 2003 first overall selection has been sacked 246 times, including an astronomical 41 instances last season.
Robert Ayers registered the only sack of Stafford, but more ends should be able to get home against Arizona. Jason Pierre-Paul can take the first step toward reclaiming his previous form, and Mathias Kiwanuka can take a swig from the fountain of youth. In addition, Damontre Moore can make himself into the disruptive force New York drafted him to be.
With all that said, I wouldn't be surprised if Cullen Jenkins or one of the other defensive tackles gets to Palmer first on Sunday.
Giants' X-Factor of the Week: Rashad Jennings
The passing game is not prepared to win games. Therefore, New York must thrive on the ground.
That's why Jennings is the X-factor of the week. His role must balloon to bell-cow status in Week 2. If the defense keeps Arizona's offense in check, Jennings can help control the pace of the game by carrying the ball upwards of 25 times. He should also be very involved in the passing game. Any way he can, Jennings must help the team gain a lead and preserve it.
This team can win, but not when it's playing from behind.
Prediction
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Let's try a bullet-point list of predictions this week:
- 100. Rashad Jennings will log his first 100-yard rushing performance as a Giant on Sunday. He has four career 100-yard games, including a single-game rushing high of 150 yards (vs. Houston, Oct. 11, 2013).
- Eight. Jerrel Jernigan will lead all wide receivers with eight receptions. He led the unit last week with four catches and 25 yards receiving.
- Steal six. The Giants will score a defensive touchdown. I think a fumble recovery in the end zone is more likely to occur than a pick-six.
- Ouch! Jason Pierre-Paul will leave the field due to injury. It may not be serious, but JPP's neck injury—like the ones to his back and shoulder—has the potential to creep back into the mix.
- 1.5. Damontre Moore will be in on multiple sacks, finishing the day with 1.5 registered to his name. He will lead all New York's D-linemen in this category.
- TD. Andre Williams will take over as the featured running back in the goal-line package, scoring his first NFL touchdown before the day is done.
- 60. Eli Manning will complete 60 percent of his passes this Sunday. That's certainly shy of the 70 percent goal, but it'll be a welcomed steppingstone.
Be sure to include your personal predictions, including final score, in the comment section below.
My guess: Cardinals 27, Giants 21.
Kevin Boilard covers the New York Giants for Bleacher Report.
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