Minus Jacobs and Burress, Giants Keep Rolling, Win Sixth Straight: Halfback Brandon Jacobs (knee) was inactive. Wide receiver Plaxico Burress (hamstring) aggravated his injury and left the game after the Giants’ first drive. But the Giants still outscored the Cardinals 37-29 in Glendale, Arizona. The victory was the Giants sixth straight, giving them a 10-1 record. The Cardinals’ loss, their first at home this season, dropped them to 7-4.
The Cardinals actually out-gained the Giants in first downs (27 to 18), total net yards (371 to 321), and net yards passing (348 to 234). The Giants were also surprising unable to break the 100-yard mark in the rushing game, being limited to 87 net yards rushing. Penalties (some questionable calls) were also a problem with the Giants being flagged nine times for 76 yards. But the Giants not only won the turnover battle (2 to 0) but also made a couple of big plays in the kickoff return game.
The Giants received the football to start the game but went three and out. The Cardinals then managed a 13-play, 63-yard drive that stalled at the Giants’ 16-yard line and resulted in a successful 34-yard field goal. Cardinals 3 – Giants 0.
Both teams exchanged punts after short drives. The Giants then drove 62 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-3 advantage. Key plays on the drive included a 17-yard pass from QB Eli Manning to WR Domenik Hixon, a 1-yard run by HB Derrick Ward on 4th-and-1, and a 12-yard pass from Manning to WR Sinorice Moss on 3rd-and-3. Two plays later, Ward scored from 1-yard out.
But the Cardinals quickly responded as the ensuing kickoff was returned 55 yards to the Giants’ 42-yard line. Seven plays later, HB Tim Hightower scored from four yards out. Arizona went ahead 9-7 (the extra point attempt was aborted on a muffed hold).
An offsides penalty on the Cardinals led to a re-kick on the ensuing kickoff and Hixon broke an 83-yard return down to the Cardinals 17-yard line. The Giants could not pick up a first down and were forced to settle for a 33-yard field goal by PK John Carney. Giants 10 – Cardinals 9.
However, an unnecessary roughness penalty on OC Shaun O’Hara on the field goal attempt did push the ensuing Giants’ kickoff back 15 yards. And the 27-yard return by Arizona provided excellent field position with the Cardinals starting at their own 49-yard line. Arizona was able to drive to the Giants’ 2-yard line, but was forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal. Cardinals 12 – Giants 10.
A return by Hixon once again sparked the Giants as he raced 68 yards down to the Arizona 32-yard line. Six plays later, Manning hit WR Amani Toomer for a 12-yard touchdown as the Giants regained the lead 17-12. Both teams exchanged punts late in the second quarter and the half ended with the Cardinals attempting an unsuccessful 68-yard field goal.
The Cardinals received the football to start the second half. On the sixth play of the drive, DE Justin Tuck sacked Cardinals’ QB Kurt Warner and stripped him of the football. DE Mathias Kiwanuka recovered, giving the Giants the football at the Arizona 40-yard line. A 30-yard pass from Manning to WR Steve Smith on 3rd-and-2 led to a 2-yard touchdown pass from Manning to FB Madison Hedgecock. Giants 24 – Cardinals 12.
The Cardinals did manage to drive to the Giants’ 32-yard line on their next possession, but an errant shotgun snap forced the Cardinals out of field goal range and they punted. After picking up one first down, the Giants were also forced to punt.
Then began a bizarre 12-play, 90-yard touchdown drive by the Cardinals that was aided by four defensive penalties called on the Giants, a couple of them dubious at best including a phantom pass interference call on 3rd-and-5 at the start of the drive. Hightower scored on a 1-yard plunge right after another questionable pass interference penalty in the end zone.
Nevertheless, the Giants impressively responded with a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive of their own. Key plays included a 6-yard run by Ward on 3rd-and-1, a 28-yard pass from Manning to TE Kevin Boss, and a 9-yard pass fro Manning to Smith on 3rd-and-5. Manning finished the drive with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Boss. Giants 31 – Cardinals 19.
On the second play of Arizona’s next possession, Warner was intercepted by CB Terrell Thomas who returned the football to the Cardinals 29-yard line. The Giants did pick up a first down by converting on 3rd-and-11 (Manning to Smith for 12 yards), but New York settled for a 27-yard field goal. Giants 34 – Cardinals 19.
The Giants’ kickoff coverage unit failed to perform again as the Cardinals returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the Arizona 48-yard line. Six plays and 2 minutes and 15 seconds later, Arizona scored to cut the Giants lead to 34-26 with just over four minutes to play.
The Cardinals attempted an onsides kick but the Giants recovered. The Giants picked up one first down, setting up a successful 33-yard field goal by Carney to give New York a 37-26 advantage.
With less than two minutes to play, the Cardinals did drive to the New York 26-yard line to set up a successful 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 37-29, but the ensuing onsides kickoff was recovered by the Giants. Manning then took a knee to end the contest.
Offensively, Manning finished the game 26-of-33 for 240 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Hixon caught six passes for 57 yards, Boss four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown, Smith four passes for 45 yards, Toomer 4 passes for 30 yards and a touchdown, Ward four passes for 30 yards, Moss two passes for 20 yards, and Hedgecock two passes for 10 yards and a touchdown. Ward carried the ball 20 times for 69 yards and a touchdown, HB Ahmad Bradshaw four times for nine yards, and Hixon one time for 11 yards.
Defensively, while the Giants did give up 348 net yards passing, the Cardinals were held to 23 net yards rushing. Thomas picked off one pass. Tuck accrued the Giants’ sole sack and forced a fumble on the play as well that Kiwanuka recovered.
Post-Game Notes and Quotes: Inactive for the Giants were HB Brandon Jacobs (knee), WR Mario Manningham, OT Adam Koets, DE Jerome McDougle, LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee), CB Sam Madison, S Sammy Knight (hip), and PK Lawrence Tynes.
Jacobs on not playing: “I practiced on Thursday and Friday and really felt I would play today. When I came to the stadium today, I talked to Ronnie Barnes and the coaches, and I told them that I was not confident that I would be able to play at the level I expect and they expect.”
Article on WR Amani Toomer: New York Giants’ Toomer Tenure Ending? by Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger