Arizona Cardinals Regular-Season Predictions: Week Two
By Earl Burnett
Nov 24, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker John Abraham (55) against the Indianapolis Colts at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Week two has the Arizona Cardinals on the road in New York to face off with the New York Giants, a team that had a very rough 2013 season as they struggled in almost every statistical category. Quarterback Eli Manning had a mediocre year having a high interception rate throwing a league high 27 picks, and part of his problem was his offensive line as he was sacked 39 times as a result.
The Giants had trouble rushing the ball last year and for the Cardinals who were in the top five of the league in rush defense all season long, should win the battle on the front lines and make the Giants one dimensional, and that bods well for more interceptions in the secondary.
The Cards D-line will be the highlight of this game, the Giants are putting together an offensive line from free agents to new drafted rookies and the Cardinals will have the advantage in getting pressure to manning from the front D-line and blitz schemes.
John Abraham will have a field day in this game as he has said he wants to get more sacks than he had last year(11.5), also big Dan Williams, Calais Campbell, and new mind set leader Darnell Dockett will be able to apply that pressure up the middle throughout the game.
The Giants defense is not the packed unit upfront it was in previous years losing Justin Tuck and others to free agency, so the Cardinals offense can come in and make this an ugly grind it out win.
But this can easily be one of those games that the offense just cant take advantage of opportunities early in the game and allow the Giants to hang around and gain confidence, and could very well be a last second field goal either way, but the Cards should do enough to hold off the over achieving Giants and go (2-0) on the year.
Cardinals could also be over looking a team like New York coming into this game because of their match-up the next week against a division foe, but they will eek out this win.