By Jason Catania

Fox Sports Sponsored Post

Week 4

Game: New York Giants (2-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

Date: Sunday, October 2

Time: 4:05 PM EST

Game of the Week Status

After looking terrible in their opening-game loss, the New York Giants have won two straight to save their start to the season, which is something the Arizona Cardinals are desperate to do following two straight defeats.

Previous Week

In Week 3, the Giants picked up a huge 29-16 win against the Philadelphia Eagles, an NFC East rival who had beaten New York six straight and came into the season with Super Bowl expectations.

The Giants, though, managed to exact some revenge for the brutal loss to Philly that kept them out of the playoffs late last season – otherwise known as DeSean-Jackson-punt-return-TD-on-the-final-play game – as the Eagles now sit at the bottom of the division, thanks to Eli Manning and New York’s defense.

Despite playing with a receiving corps limited by injuries to WRs Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon, the Giants quarterback threw four TD passes last week, including the first two scores of WR Victor Cruz’s career. And Big Blue’s D actually knocked Eagles QB Michael Vick out of the game for the second week in a row, this time with an injured hand after he came into the contest only days removed from suffering a concussion.

As satisfying as the Giants win was, the Cardinals loss was equally as crushing considering their opponent. Arizona lost their second straight game by three points or less with an embarrassing 13-10 defeat at the hands of the inept Seattle Seahawks on the road. Aside from an early TD catch by WR Larry Fitzgerald, the Cards’ offense didn’t do much of anything against a Seattle D that had allowed 33 and 24 points in the first two weeks.

New QB Kevin Kolb threw a pair of picks in his worst outing of the season so far, and Arizona managed just 90 rushing yards after having to dip all the way down to Alfonso Smith, their fourth-string running back, because starter Beanie Wells and backup LaRod Stephens-Howling were out with injuries and fill-in Chester Taylor struggled to get going. The all-around ugly performance cost the Cardinals a share of the NFC West lead.

What To Expect

The Giants return to the University of Phoenix Stadium, the site of their Super Bowl XLII championship, and will look to take advantage of a Cardinals defense that has been surrendering chunks of yardage at a time. In fact, Arizona ranks 27th in total yards allowed, and has been susceptible both on the ground (122.7 yards per game, 27th overall) and in the air (275 yards per game, 25th overall).

With the expected return to health of Manningham (concussion) and the emergence of Cruz in addition to top target Hakeem Nicks (team-bests of 14 catches and 185 yards), Manning will have plenty at his disposal in the passing game, and lead back Ahmad Bradshaw (4.4 yards per carry) is capable of teaming with battering ram RB Brandon Jacobs to balance out the Giants’ attack.

As for the defensive side, it’s looking like another injured Giant, DE Osi Umenyiora, may debut following offseason knee surgery, which would make New York’s front line – which already features fellow ends Jason Pierre-Paul, a blossoming second-year player with 4.5 sacks already, and veteran sack artist Justin Tuck – that much more imposing.

Coincidentally, if the Giants are going to slow down Fitzgerald, a five-time Pro Bowler who is Arizona’s top offensive threat, a lot of responsibility will fall on former Cardinals S Antrel Rolle, the franchise’ first-rounder back in 2005.

While Kolb will, no doubt, look Fitzgerald’s way often, it may in fact be the health of Wells’ lingering hamstring injury that has the biggest impact on the team. If their top back can’t go or is limited, the Cardinals will turn into a one-dimensional offense because of their lack of depth behind Wells.

For his part, though, Wells, who’s averaging 5.7 yards per carry in his two games, is confident he’ll be back this week, and Arizona will need him to make a few big plays. Same goes for the Cards’ defensive backfield, which includes three playmakers in safeties Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes along with rookie CB Patrick Peterson, the fifth overall pick in last April’s draft.

Given Manning’s knack for making a few questionable throws over the course of a game, an interception or two in a key spot could turn the tide in this game – and the Cardinals’ season.

Read More: fantasy football, Victor Cruz (WR – NYG), New York Giants, New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals, Oct 2, 2011 4:05 PM EDT

If you are looking for a wide receiver to add to your Fantasy Football roster for Week 4 of the NFL season, Victor Cruz of the New York Giants might be your.

Cruz had a breakout game last Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, catching three passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdowns were on a 74-yard catch and run and a 28-yard reception where he outfought two Philadelphia defenders, including All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

Cruz started in place of Mario Manningham (concussion) against the Eagles. Even though Manningham is expected to play Sunday when the Giants face the Arizona Cardinals, there should be plenty of snaps for Cruz. The Giants lost slot receiver Brandon Stokley this week when he suffered a quadricep strain during practice, so Cruz figures to be on the field whenever the Giants utilize sets with three wide receivers.

Cruz’s numberFire Projections are 2.68 catches, 40.23 yards and 0.02 TDs, for 5.21 fantasy points. To be honest, I think those might be low. Pick him up, there are snaps available for him and Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning has been throwing the ball well.

While Eli Manning(notes) returns to the scene of his greatest triumph, Antrel Rolle(notes)
is back to face his former team.

Manning, Rolle and the New York Giants look for a third straight win Sunday
when they visit an Arizona Cardinals team entering off back-to-back close
losses.

The University of Phoenix Stadium will always be remembered by New York
(2-1) as the site of its Super Bowl XLII victory. Manning won MVP honors for
throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a 17-14 win over 18-0 New
England.

This time, though, Plaxico Burress(notes) won’t be around to catch the game-winning
TD and David Tyree(notes) won’t be there to trap one of Manning’s desperation heaves
against his helmet.

Then again, neither of them played for the Giants when the team visited
Arizona the following season, and Manning had another terrific game. He
completed 78.8 percent of his passes to mark a career high with at least 15
attempts, finishing 26 of 33 with three TDs in a 37-29 victory over the
Cardinals (1-2).

The veteran quarterback admits it’s a special place to him.

“I think it is, but once you get there it’s going to be, ‘Focus on the game
at hand and get ready for the Cardinals,’” he said. “Try to understand their
scheme and see what their game plan is going to be and go out there and just
play our game.”

Rolle also has pleasant memories of Arizona, having spent his first five
seasons there after being drafted eighth overall in 2005. The safety made his
first Pro Bowl with Arizona in 2009 after helping the franchise reach its first
Super Bowl the previous season, but he left for New York via free agency last
year.

“This is the first time for me because I have never had to face a team that
I was once with but I am going in there and playing the game at the end of the
day,” Rolle said. “I am going to go and be the same player that I am week in and
week out.”

Rolle will be counted upon to help slow down Larry Fitzgerald(notes) and a
Cardinals offense that struggled in last Sunday’s 13-10 loss at Seattle.
Fitzgerald had five catches and his second touchdown of the season, but new
quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) threw two interceptions – one coming with Arizona driving
in the final minutes.

“You have to understand he’s in a completely different scheme than what he’s
used to running,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “He’s been in this scheme for a
very short time and we’re asking him to do things he’s never done before.”

The Cardinals managed a season-low 90 yards rushing as Beanie Wells(notes) sat out
with a hamstring injury. Wells had 183 yards through the first two games and
said he is “100 percent” certain he will play Sunday.

“It was one of those things where we were being extra cautious with it,”
Wells said. “You know how those things are, they can linger three, four, five
weeks and we didn’t want that at all.”

LaRod Stephens-Howling(notes), who excels on special teams for Arizona, will likely
be back after missing two games with a hand injury. Arizona lost 22-21 at
Washington before falling in Seattle.

The Giants also could be healthier, with receiver Mario Manningham(notes) returning
to practice Wednesday after he missed last Sunday’s 29-16 win at Philadelphia
due to a concussion.

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora(notes) could make his season debut,
having practiced Wednesday for the first time since he had arthroscopic knee
surgery in early August.

The Giants have not missed Umenyiora too much since emerging defensive end
Jason Pierre-Paul(notes) has 4 1/2 sacks to tie for the league’s second-best total.

Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck(notes) will likely play despite a strained groin
and neck stinger.

Without Manningham, New York got a boost last Sunday when Victor Cruz(notes) had
two touchdown receptions among his three catches for 110 yards.

The Giants lead the league in red-zone touchdown efficiency with TDs on five
of six drives. The Cardinals have been excellent defensively in the red zone,
ranking sixth by allowing four TDs in their opponents’ 11 trips.

“There is no doubt that they have been very good at it but we have been
pretty good when we have been in there, too,” said Manning, who matched a career
high with four TDs last week.

Manning has been sacked 10 times after being dropped 16 times all of 2010.
Arizona’s nine sacks are tied for seventh-best in the league.

Michael Vick left with a broken hand and the New York Giants left Lincoln Financial Field with an impressive 29-16 win this afternoon.

Eli Manning completed 16 of 23 passes for 254 yards and four touchdowns as New York improved to 2-1 on the season.

The Eagles led 16-14 entering the final quarter but had left points in the board, settling for field goals twice inside the New York 2-yard line.

Vick injured his hand late in the third quarter on a quarterback sneak on the second of the Giants’ goal-line stands. He went to the Eagles’ locker room for X-rays, returned for a series, but then left for good.

The Eagles, looking for the clinching score, were stopped on fourth-and-1 from the Giants’ 43 when linebacker Michael Boley tripped up LeSean McCoy (24 carries, 128 yards, 1 TD) for a loss.

Manning then marched the Giants for the winning score on a 28-yard TD pass to Victor Cruz who hauled in the ball despite double coverage by Eagles’ safety Jarrad Page and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

Manning then converted a Aaron Ross interception of Mike Kafka into a 18-yard TD pass on a screen to Ahmad Bradshaw for the clinching score.

The Giants jumped out to a  14-0 lead on two long touchdown passes by Manning, 40 yards to a wide-open Brandon Jacobs out of the backfield and 74 yards to Cruz on a short sideline that Cruz turned into a huge gainer by shedding tackles.

But the Giants, who posted 155 yards of offense in the first quarter, stalled after that with just 85 total in the next two periods as the Eagles got three field goals from Alex Henery and an 11-yard rushing TD from McCoy.

The Eagles also lost wide receivers Riley Cooper to a concussion and Jeremy Maclin to a hamstring injury.

Rams’ Norwood, Porter ready: The St. Louis Rams may be forced to use a pair of backups at running back against Baltimore.

Steven Jackson injured his right quadriceps in the opener against Philadelphia and did not play in Monday’s loss to the New York Giants. Cadillac Williams, who rushed for 91 yards in replacing Jackson against the Eagles, hurt his hamstring against the Giants. if neither player can go, Jerious Norwood and Quinn Porter could move up.

The Rams signed Norwood, a sixth-year pro who played for Atlanta, before the start of training camp. Porter is in his first year in the NFL after being released by Cleveland.

“Both of those guys know what they’re doing,” Spagnuolo said. “They’ve got the bulk of the work in practice.”

Norwood played in only 12 games the last two seasons at Atlanta, including just two last year when he sustained a season-ending knee injury.

He had his best season as a rookie in 2006 when he rushed for 633 yards and two touchdowns. He had 613 rushing yards and a touchdown in 2007 and he had 489 yards and four touchdowns in 2008.

Norwood said he is ready.

“You know when a guy goes down, the next guy’s got to be able to pick up the slack and keep rolling,” Norwood said. “That’s what being a professional is all about — being able to handle your business.”

Jackson said he will be a game-day decision like he was against the Giants. He hurt the quad on a 47-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the season. He came in for another carry — a 9-yard gain — and has not played since.

“A quad injury is very delicate because you have to not only test it to see where it is, but if you do a little bit too much you could actually re-injure it and bring you back down to square one,” he said. “It’s definitely an injury that is pretty delicate and you have to treat it as such.”

Jackson said he believes Norwood will be able to play well if he gets the nod.

“I think Jerious, he brings definitely home-run capabilities especially when you get him out on the edges,” Jackson said. “He does a good job of that. He’s a threat inside and outside of the tackles and he does a pretty good job of catching the ball down the field.”

Williams would like to get back out there and overcome the fumbled lateral that changed the game with the Giants. On a third-and-eight, Williams got a backward pass from Sam Bradford at the New York 25. Williams dropped the ball, but didn’t go after it, thinking it was an incomplete pass.

New York’s Michael Boley alertly picked it up and took it in for a touchdown and a 14-6 lead early in the second quarter.

“It was just a boneheaded move by me, just knowing it’s a lateral like that, you’ve got to be aware and get on the ball,” Williams said. “Just a boneheaded move by me.”

He is optimistic he can play Sunday.

“I feel good, so I should be ready to go,” Williams said. “I don’t feel too bad.”