The Arizona Cardinals will face the New York Giants on Sunday in Week 4. Kickoff at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. Arizona time). The Cardinals are favored for the first time all season.
They have not played the Giants since 2023, when they lost 31-28, but have won six of the last eight meetings.
What is there to know about the Giants heading into this game?
Giants Wire lead writer Dan Benton takes Cardinals fans "behind enemy lines," answering a few questions and giving his prediction for the game.
Giants offense with Jameis Winston
With a Jameis Winston-led offense, how will the Giants attack the Cardinals? How different is it from a Jaxson Dart-led offense?
The offense is completely different under Winston than it was under Dart. Offensive
coordinator Matt Nagy has admitted to removing an entire portion of the playbook because of the different skill sets. However, the basic principle remains the same: Power running football, two tight end sets, control the clock, and take care of the football. It's difficult to tell how it will actually function because Winston came in on the spot against the Rams using Dart's playbook, and then nasty weather derailed any hope of a normal game in Week 3. This Sunday will be the first time we truly get to see what the offense looks like under Winston.
No Brian Burns?
Can Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux make up for the loss of Brian Burns? How differently does the defense look without him?
I don't think anyone or any pairing can make up for the loss of Brian Burns. While the defense will remain the same schematically, his talent and leadership are unique, and the Giants don't have a quick fix. The good news is that Carter is very talented and improving weekly, and Thibodeaux is very good at doing exactly what he's supposed to, box score numbers be damned. The added bonus is the return of Jihad Ward, who is plug-and-play under Dennard Wilson, whom he played under last year (and John Harbaugh before that). Again, not the same top-end talent, but reliable replacements and depth.
A J.J. appearance?
What are the chances that the Cardinals see J.J. McCarthy play against them at all on Sunday?
Unless Winston gets injured, it's highly unlikely McCarthy will play. Even then, the more realistic possibility is that Jake Haener will be QB2 and McCarthy the emergency QB.
The good and the bad from the Giants
What do the Giants do well on both sides of the ball? What do they struggle with?
Offensively, the Giants are good at their power run game and controlling the clock -- the latter of which the Cardinals also do well. They sustain long drives and keep the football out of their opponents' hands, although they have flirted with giveaways more often than they should be comfortable with. Defensively, they bend but rarely break, and they have a clutch takeaway gene, led by safety Jevon Holland. But where they really excel is on special teams, where they are near the top of the league in nearly every analytical metric.
Key matchups
What matchups are you watching in particular on Sunday?
Trey McBride vs. whoever (or however many) the Giants throw at him. I think that's where this game will be won or lost, so Dennard Wilson has his work cut out for him. Make Jacoby Brissett beat them by throwing outside, limiting McBride, and containing any Jeremiyah Love and his propensity to bounce things outside. I really think it's that simple.
Prediction
How do you see this game playing out? Who wins, and how?
This may not be an ideal matchup for the Giants, especially given their recent rash of injuries, but I expect them to mold into some moderately functioning offense this week. That will obviously work to their advantage, especially considering Arizona's defense -- particularly against the run -- is lacking. If the Giants can run the ball, control the clock, and avoid turnovers, they will pull off the upset. Giants 23, Cardinals 21.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals vs. Giants Week 4 opponent preview with Giants Wire
