Game Scout: Week 7, AZ Cardinals @ NY Giants

The Arizona Cardinals receivers unit is banged-up, but the Cardinals could receive a lucky break because the Giants secondary is worse.

SERIES: 123rd meeting. Giants lead, 79-41-2. The Giants have won six of the last eight against the Cardinals and the last three regular-season games played in Giants Stadium. The teams met in 2008 in Glendale, and the Giants won, 37-29. The Cardinals tailed by 5 going into the fourth quarter but the Giants put the game away by scoring the next 10 points. Kurt Warner passed for 351 yards and was sacked just once.

PREDICTION: Giants 31-20

KEYS TO THE GAME: Is the Cardinals' top-ranked run defense (59.6 yards per game) that good, or is their secondary just that vulnerable? The Giants will put Arizona's front seven to the test as they attempt to set up play-action by hammering away with RBs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. The Giants also need to run the ball to protect their depleted secondary, which was severely exposed by New Orleans last Sunday. Cardinals QB Kurt Warner is completing 68.7 percent of his passes and will have his pick of open receivers - if he has time. Look for the Giants to blitz relentlessly in an effort to prevent Warner from getting comfortable in the pocket.

FAST FACTS: Warner tied Dan Marino as the fastest players to reach 30,000 career passing yards (114 career games). ... Giants rookie WR Hakeem Nicks has a touchdown reception in three consecutive games.

PERSONNEL NEWS

Cardinals:

--WR Steve Breaston is still limited in practice because of a knee bruise. Breaston has been productive in games, however, and he had two long punt returns last Sunday against Seattle.

--WR Anquan Boldin went through a vigorous workout on the side with a trainer Thursday and could participate in practice before the week is over. Boldin suffered a sprained right ankle last Sunday and hasn't practiced this week.

--CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie continues to play with a small cast on his right hand. He has a broken index finger, but the injury hasn't hindered him. In fact, Rodgers-Cromartie has played better since being hurt two games ago.

--RB Beanie Wells must quit fumbling the ball before he gets more carries. Wells fumbled once against Seattle last week but recovered it himself. He bobbled another hand-off, disrupting the timing of a play.

--LB Karlos Dansby would like a lucrative multi-year contract after this season, but he has yet to prove he's one of the better inside linebackers in the league. Dansby hasn't played poorly, but he hasn't made the game-changing plays expected from someone making $9.7 million, the franchise tender.

Giants:

--LB Antonio Pierce returned to practice Thursday after leaving Wednesday's workout with a stiff back. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said that Pierce is fine.

--QB Eli Manning practiced fully Thursday after he was limited during Wednesday's workout. Manning has missed practice time each of the past couple of weeks and has still been able to start the game on Sunday. He's expected to be good to go Sunday night against Arizona.

--RT Kareem McKenzie was limited in practice Thursday after injuring his groin last Sunday in New Orleans. The Giants offensive line's streak of starting 38 straight games together would be in jeopardy if McKenzie can't play against the Cardinals. If he's unable to suit up, rookie Will Beatty would take his place.

--WR Mario Manningham practiced fully Thursday for the second straight day after he injured his back in New Orleans. Manningham is expected to be able to play Sunday night.

--RB/KR Danny Ware continued to work out fully in practice. It's uncertain whether or not he'll be activated come Sunday. Ware, who had been out since dislocating his elbow in the season opener, was a healthy scratch last week.