If the Giants are assuming Week 4 will be a soft landing spot against Arizona, that’s a dangerous read. The Cardinals are 1-2, but that record doesn’t really capture how sharp they’ve looked in spots, from the Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Chargers to a hard-fought 36-30 loss in San Francisco against the undefeated 49ers. They got crushed by the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, but they also showed enough fight last week to make this feel like anything but a cleanup assignment for New York.
That matters even more because the Giants are carrying plenty of their own issues into this one. Jameis Winston is still searching for a touchdown pass in Giants blue, the pass rush has barely made an impact through three weeks, and Brian Burns is now out for the season.
New York did add former Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy after Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury, but unless things go sideways fast, it sounds like Winston will be the guy again in Week 4.
The matchup also comes with plenty of recent history. This will be the 130th regular-season meeting between the teams, with the Giants holding the edge in the series, 81-46-2. The last time they met, in 2023, New York won 31-28 at State Farm Stadium in Week 2.
On the injury front, Andrew Thomas is the biggest concern for the Giants. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound tackle is still dealing with a groin injury he suffered late in Week 2, and that issue kept him from returning to that game.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. also showed up on the report with a knee injury, though he moved from DNP on Wednesday to LP on Thursday. Deonte Banks and Tyler Nubin were limited both days as well, while Elijah Campbell, Nic Jones, and Patrick Ricard were full participants.
For Arizona, the early-week rest for Budda Baker, Isaac Seumalo, and Josh Sweat raised some eyebrows, but all three were back to full capacity on Thursday. The Cardinals are otherwise relatively healthy, though starting cornerback Will Johnson is out on IR with a neck injury after Week 2.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson remained out with a back issue, while Hjalte Froholdt, Roy Lopez, and Walter Nolen were limited. Mack Wilson went from limited to full.
The biggest question for New York is whether Winston can actually get this offense moving. He has thrown for 229 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception over essentially two full games since replacing Dart seven snaps into Week 2, and the Giants haven’t scored a touchdown with him at quarterback.
They did survive the Titans anyway, thanks to Dominic Zvada’s 12 points in a rainy, windy mess at MetLife Stadium. Winston pointed to the nor’easter afterward as a reason the Giants played it safe, but he also made his expectations clear this week: “My desire is to score some touchdowns this game,” he told reporters this week.
“It’s required.”
Head coach John Harbaugh has already named Winston the Week 4 starter, so the job is still his. McCarthy’s arrival adds a layer of intrigue, though, especially if Winston and the offense keep grinding along the same path they’ve been on. New York has gone two straight games without a touchdown, and if that drought continues while Arizona builds an early lead, the pressure to see what McCarthy can do will only grow.
And then there’s Jeremiyah Love, who should draw plenty of attention from the MetLife crowd. The Giants were linked to him throughout the pre-draft process before the Cardinals took the Heisman finalist at No. 3 overall, two picks ahead of New York.
The Giants went with Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5 instead. Nearly six months later, this is the first real chance to compare those decisions on the same field.
Love is coming off his best game yet, with 109 scrimmage yards on 26 touches against San Francisco, while Reese just had his own breakout against Tennessee and has quickly become one of the key pieces in a Giants front seven that also lost Burns for the year.
As for the experts, the picks are split. ESPN’s panel leaned Cardinals overall, with Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Jeremy Fowler, Pamela Maldonado, Eric Moody, and Seth Wickersham all taking Arizona, while Dan Graziano, Kalyn Kahler, Jason Reid, and Lindsey Thiry went with the Giants.
Ben Solak didn’t make a pick. Over at Bleacher Report, Brad Gagnon, Ian Hanford, Kristopher Knox, and Moe Moton all picked New York.
In Other News...
Giants Just Sent A Clear Message About John Michael Schmitz
The Giants added another experienced interior option this week, signing Kendrick Green to the practice squad after bringing him in for a visit. Green gives the team some flexibility because he has played both center and guard, and he arrives after being released from injured reserve by the Browns.
The timing is hard to miss, with John Michael Schmitz struggling through the first three games and the Giants clearly looking for help inside. Even if Green is starting on the practice squad, the move signals that the team is not standing pat at a spot that has become worth monitoring closely. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Backfield Suddenly Has One Big Sunday Question
Tyrone Tracy Jr. was back on the practice field Thursday, albeit in a limited capacity, after sitting out Wednesday with a knee injury on the Giants Week 4 injury report. It was a small but meaningful step for a backfield that is suddenly worth watching closely as New York prepares for Arizona.
The return suggests Tracy is moving in the right direction, but it does not settle whether hell be ready to play Sunday. With Cam Skattebo also part of the equation, the Giants are sorting through their options at running back at a time when every practice rep matters, and the final answer may not come until later in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Jevon Holland Is Becoming The Giants Defensive Difference-Maker
Jevon Hollands arrival has quickly given the Giants a new edge on defense, and the early returns have been hard to miss. The safety was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September after a fast start that included three interceptions and four passes defensed over the first three games, a stretch that also featured a key pick against the Tennessee Titans.
For a defense looking for someone who can tilt a game in a hurry, Holland has already started to look like that kind of piece. His play has stood out as a major improvement and, just as importantly for New York, it has reinforced the sense that he can be an important part of what the Giants are building on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]