Giants Cardinals Betting – G-Men Clip Cardinals’ Wings In Arizona
When it comes to sports betting odds, the New York Giants are one of the toughest teams in the NFL to gauge as they sometimes play down to the level of their competition, which could be an issue on Sunday when they head to Arizona. But they have some good memories of playing in that stadium, particularly their quarterback, and along with a fierce pass rush, the Giants should come away with the win.
What: NFL Betting
When: Sunday, October 2nd, 4:05 PM ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Pick: New York Giants (-1)
Why Bet On New York Giants (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS)
The Giants jumped on Philadelphia early and never let up in a 29-16 win on the road over their NFC East rivals, scoring on two big passing plays in the first quarter. Eli Manning was looking like his brother Peyton on there, going 16-of-23 for 254 yards and four touchdowns, including three of at least 28 yards, and two went to running backs while the other two went to Victor Cruz. Manning did an excellent job of spreading the ball around and they were incredibly efficient as they had the ball for just over 23 minutes. Defensively, the Giants forced three turnovers and put Michael Vick on the sidelines with a number of hard hits. Some may have been late, but the referees weren’t calling it, so the Giants were well within their rights to take out the Philadelphia quarterback. It was a very impressive performance for the Giants, especially after the Eagles broke their hearts with a big comeback last season.
New York could also have Mario Manningham (concussion) back in the lineup, although he was just cleared to practice and he probably wouldn’t play a huge role. But for the Giants to win this game, they have to keep their foot on the gas as they’ve been incredibly inconsistent over the last couple of years. Manning has been at the crux of that, and when he is on, the Giants are almost unbeatable. The problem is, you really never know which Eli is going to show up.
Why Bet On Arizona Cardinals (1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS)
The Cardinals fell 13-10 in Seattle, and even though Kevin Kolb was 25-of-39 for 252 yards and a score, he also had a pair of picks and Arizona was 3-of-14 on third down. You have to remember that Kolb is only three games into his Arizona career and the glimpses are there, but he has to be more consistent, especially when he has arguably the best wideout in the league lining up outside. Larry Fitzgerald’s 12-yard touchdown catch over two players showed why many think he’s up there with the likes of Houston’s Andre Johnson and Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, but it doesn’t work if he can’t get the ball. Defensive end Calais Campbell was a one-man wrecking crew with 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while rookie corner Patrick Peterson had a pick for the Cardinals.
Arizona could get running back “Beanie” Wells (hamstring) back in the lineup this week, while LaRod Stephens-Howling should also earn some playing time, and this helps a running game that garnered 90 yards on the ground against Seattle. The Cardinals need some balance in their game to slow down the Giants’ pass rush, and Wells will play a big role in that. Also, the Cardinals may have an added weapon as Kolb should have a lot of insight into how to beat the Giants from his time in Philadelphia. He should know a lot of the schemes already, and the Cardinals will take all the help they can get.
How It Will Play Out
The Giants are 1-point NFL betting favorites on the road in the desert, but the Cardinals are 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five meetings with New York, with three games going under the total. However, Manning has performed well in his last two trips to Arizona, one of which was a 37-29 win in 2008 and of course, the Giants’ Super Bowl upset of New England earlier that year.
This will be a game of the pass rush because both quarterbacks can be lethal when they have time, so you have to take that time away and we expect the Giants to keep Manning upright. The Cardinals’ offense is still getting used to Kolb and while they’ll keep it close, we expect Arizona to make some mistakes down the stretch, giving the Giants a win in your online betting book.
Giants Cardinals Betting Pick: New York Giants
