NFL Week 12: New York Giants vs. Arizona Cardinals

The No. 2 defense and No. 2 offense in the NFL meet in a duel for NFC supremacy in NFL Week 12.

NY Giants vs. Cardinals Overview:
Pundits could not be blamed for picking the New York Giants to be atop the NFC. The New York Giants are the Super Bowl Champions after all. No one would have picked the Arizona Cardinals to be nipping at their heels or that Kurt Warner was in the running for the NFL MVP while doing it. The 9-1 New York Giants will travel to Arizona to face the 7-3 Arizona Cardinals in what is sure to be a dogfight of contrasting styles. Fans with New York Giants tickets will be glued to every moment of the key NFC action.

New York Giants Offense:
As the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL, there is little wonder as to what the New York Giants want to do offensively -- cram the ball down opponents’ throats. Along with a great offensive line, New York Giants tickets boast a trio of RBs in Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw that can dominate any aspect of the running game. The running game gets so much attention that only diehard fans with New York Giants tickets know that QB Eli Manning has one of the best receiving corps in the NFL with WRs Plaxico Burress, Steve Smith, and Amani Toomer.

New York Giants Defense:
The New York Giants really do not make their strategy on defense a secret either and, being ranked No. 2 in total defense, it doesn’t seem to matter. The 4-3 defense of the New York Giants utilizes a full-on assault of defensive-line stunts to destroy opposing QBs. Fans with New York Giants tickets have watched DEs Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka combine for 15 sacks, making for an unblockable bookend tandem. DTs like Fred Robbins also loop around on inside stunts to find the quarterback. MLB Antonio Pierce leads the linebackers while rookie S Kenny Phillips continues to develop in the secondary.

Arizona Cardinals Offense:
The Arizona Cardinals are just as geared for the pass as they New York Giants are for the run. Usually rolling with three wide outs, the potent passing attack of the Arizona Cardinals is ranked No. 2 in the NFL. Two-time NFL MVP QB Kurt Warner is in command of the passing attack and age has only made his arm deadlier. WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald will both cross the 1,000-yard mark in receiving and slot WR Steve Breaston will probably cross that mark as well. Rookie RB Tim Hightower has impressed coaches with his versatility in the backfield.

Arizona Cardinals Defense:
The Arizona Cardinals defense is a 4-3/3-4 hybrid and has no discernable strategy like the New York Giants. Veteran DE Betrand Berry is the sack master of the Arizona Cardinals defense and is joined in a good front seven by DT Darnell Dockett and DE Travis LaBoy. LB Karlos Dansby is one of the most underrated players in the NFL and is a big piece of the franchise. CBs Roderick Hood and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are two great CBs with excellent hands. S Adrian Wilson is nearly a suicidal tackler that makes even the toughest TE refuse to go over the middle.

New York Giants Keys to Victory:
The New York Giants will dance with who brought them and will stick to the running game. The bear-like RB Brandon Jacobs should get most of the running load as his huge size wears down a defense like no other. The speedy Ahmad Bradshaw will then capitalize on the gassed defense with long gains. Fans with New York Giants tickets love Eli Manning, but the best way for their team to win is for Eli Manning to touch the ball as few times as possible. The running game will also control the clock and keep the ball away from Kurt Warner and his receivers.

The Arizona Cardinals will only give the running game a cursory glance before going to the passing game. Most teams would rather the Arizona Cardinals use their weak running game, but no defense gets after the passer like the New York Giants, and fans with New York Giants tickets know this. Kurt Warner will not panic under pressure, but he is a statue in the backfield and cannot escape the rush. An injury to CB Aaron Ross means the New York Giants must get more pressure than ever to keep Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald from racking up too many yards, but stopping them altogether is impossible.

Arizona Cardinals Keys to Victory:
Protecting Kurt Warner is a fulltime job for the Arizona offensive line, but Week 12 presents the biggest challenge of the year. Veteran RB Edgerrin James might find himself separated from the bench and back on the field to provide more pass protection. Kurt Warner needs to sit in the pocket and gaze downfield to find single coverage. The injury to Aaron Ross means that the New York Giants will be playing with one less DB. With all the attention on Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, third WR Steve Breaston could have a career day against lesser CBs.

The Arizona Cardinals defense has shut down runners like Marion Barber, Frank Gore, and Ronnie Brown over the course of the season, and they must do so again to the New York Giants. DTs like Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett need to control the interior of the line. Karlos Dansby will also be called upon to fly from one sideline to the other in an effort to prevent cutback lanes. Kamikaze SS Adrian Wilson will spend most of his time in the box dishing out punishment so CBs Roderick Hood and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie must play well on an island.

NY Giants vs. Cardinals Outlook:
As two of the top teams in the NFC, the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals are now in a battle for home-field advantage. Two very different offensive styles will be on the field and the passing attack and running game will be matched together in a titanic struggle once again. Fans with New York Giants tickets are sure to be cheering on their dynamic pass rush as well as the thundering legs of Brandon Jacobs.

Defense will decide the winner of the day, even if offense grabs all the headlines. The one-dimensional nature of the Arizona Cardinals means that the New York Giants defense knows exactly how to play them. Fans with New York Giants tickets know that their team also has a potent passing attack. The Arizona Cardinals run game is next to non-existent and is never a factor in wins except for nursing a lead. Since both teams will be playing out of their comfort zone, it will come down to Tim Hightower vs. Eli Manning. Tim Hightower is a good rookie, but the Super Bowl MVP will reign victorious in such a match up. Order premium New York Giants tickets from OnlineTickets.com today!