TODAY’S GAMES

Arizona (5-7) at New York Giants (5-7)

10:30 a.m., Channel 11

The line: New York by 5.

Injury report: Arizona--DOUBTFUL: G Pete Kendall (feet); CB Tom Knight (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: OLB Rob Fredrickson (knee). New York Giants--DOUBTFUL: RB Damon Washington (knee). QUESTIONABLE: WR Joe Jurevicius (hamstring).

Storyline: This has became a season of declining expectations for the Giants. After starting off with hopes of returning to the Super Bowl, it took only six games for the Giants to shift their focus to merely getting back to the playoffs. The season hit a low point Sunday when the Giants all but saw their playoff hopes vanish with a 20-13 loss in Dallas. It was their third consecutive loss, and sixth in eight games. The situation is so bleak that Giant owner Wellington Mara stopped by the locker room Monday to deliver a pep talk, something he has rarely done in his long association with the franchise. “Mr. Mara put his finger on what needed to be said,� halfback Tiki Barber said. “He said he just wanted a commitment from everyone to go out and play as hard as they can.� Playing better would also help. The Giant offense--which figures to rely heavily on the running of Barber and Ron Dayne against Arizona’s undersized front seven today--has to improve when it gets into the red zone. The secondary has to stop giving up big plays--particularly with today’s matchup against the NFL’s leader in receiving yards, David Boston. Those things happened late last season when the Giants won seven consecutive games to earn a Super Bowl berth opposite Baltimore.

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The pick: New York. Thunder and Lightning should strike again for Giants--for at least one week.