The New York Giants are set to travel to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 of the NFL season, with both teams looking to bounce back from losses in Week 1.
The Giants were trounced 40-0 by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, while the Cardinals were narrowly defeated by the Washington Commanders.
Expectations are somewhat high for the Giants following a postseason run in 2022, so a blowout loss to begin the season wasn’t encouraging. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are projected to be a team contending for the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.
Ahead of Sunday’s matchup between the Giants and the Cardinals, we have our predictions and the best bets for the Week 2 contest.
Giants vs Cardinals Odds
NFL odds used for this New York vs Arizona preview were found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are current as of Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 8 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Giants (-185) • Cardinals (+154)
- Spread: Giants -4 (-110) • Cardinals +4 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 40.5 (-108) • Under 40.5 (-112)
- Implied Score: Giants 22.25, Cardinals 18.25
Giants vs Cardinals Predictions
Score Pick: Giants 24, Cardinals 17
It was a disastrous season opener for the Giants. Quarterback Daniel Jones looked out of sorts from the moment the game kicked off, completing only 15 of his 28 attempts for 104 yards and two interceptions, along with rushing for 43 yards on 13 attempts.
Even though the Giants were a mess in Week 1, it’s hard to put trust in the Cardinals despite them covering the spread and playing the Commanders tough to begin the season. I expect a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley and Darren Waller in Week 2 following relatively quiet performances in a lopsided loss to a division rival.
In Brian Daboll’s first year as head coach in 2022, the Giants went 5-1-1 following a loss and were a league-best 7-2 ATS on the road. While some people may side with the Cardinals after a close encounter with the Commanders, this is a perfect bounce-back spot for the Giants.
Giants vs Cardinals Best Bets & Props
Giants -4 (-110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
New York figured out how to cover the spread on the road a season ago, going 7-2 ATS as the away team. Even after getting blown out by the Cowboys on primetime, the Giants are the far superior team compared to the Cardinals.
The Commanders were touchdown favorites in Week 1 versus the Cardinals, and many expect the Giants to be better than Washington this season.
With Daboll at the helm (and the fact that New York won’t have to be concerned with blocking Micah Parsons and Dallas’ pass rush in Week 2), the Giants should cover with ease on Sunday, making this our NFL bet of the day.
Alternate Total: Over 39.5 Points (-130)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Giants scored zero points in Week 1, which is certainly concerning for a team that was looking to build off of an improbable playoff run in 2022. Just last season, New York produced at least 20 points in nine of its 10 wins (including the playoffs).
New York was also 3-2 to the Over in its five games as a favorite in 2022. The Giants are capable of blowing past 20 points in this game, and the Cardinals will score a couple of times to help the alternate total of 39.5 points hit in Week 2.
Giants: Over 22.5 Points (-112)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
On the road, the Giants averaged a solid 20.2 points per game a season ago, and this offense is projected to be better in Daboll’s second year. The Commanders found the end zone twice despite Sam Howell struggling in Week 1 versus the Cardinals, making three touchdowns obtainable for the Giants.
As mentioned above, the Giants managed to score 20-plus points in nine of their 10 wins in 2022, and they recorded at least 23 points in six of those wins. Jones will have much more success through the air against a mediocre Cardinals defense, and Barkley is poised for more chunk plays on the ground.
Giants vs Cardinals Same Game Parlay
Giants vs Cardinals SGP (+320)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Unit
- Giants -6.5 (+120)
- Over 41.5 (+110)
- Giants Over 25.5 Points (+160)
Given the score I have predicted, you can go slightly over on the spread, the projected total, and the Giants’ team total to create a solid Same Game Parlay on DraftKings.
Contrary to what we saw in Week 1, the Giants are fully capable of beating this Cardinals squad by at least seven points on the road.
Following an embarrassing loss at home, the Giants are going to be motivated to put up plenty of points, which should help the Over hit in Week 2. The Cardinals also looked slightly better than expected on offense to begin the season, so they only need to score a couple of times to help the Over connect.
This is a perfect get-right spot for Jones, and the dual-threat quarterback could contribute multiple touchdowns himself. The Giants also want to get Waller acclimated in the offense more, making 26 points a possibility in their second game of the season.
You can combine all three of these legs at (+320) odds for a solid return.
