TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kerry Collins gets his first chance for New York as the Giants face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in a matchup of two of the most inept offenses in the NFL.

Jake Plummer will try to turn around a disastrous start to his third season for Arizona, which limps into the game with a 1-3 record.

The Giants are 2-2. Both teams have had miserable offenses. If they've managed any offense at all.

"I think what I feel is more of a sense of urgency," Collins said. "We haven't been playing well offensively, and we feel like we need to get back on track."

If recent history is any indication, the Giants couldn't pick a better opponent to get things moving. Under coach Jim Fassel, New York is 4-0 against Arizona. New York has beaten the Cardinals twice in each of the last two seasons by just ramming the ball on the ground.

"It's not any special plays they run," Arizona defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis said. "They turn around and hand the ball to a big back and block us up front. We've got to play defensive football one-on-one, get off the blocks and tackle the backs. That's as simple as it gets, and that's as simple as it's been for four times against us."

Collins, signed to a four-year, $16.9 million contract by the Giants in the offseason despite the quarterback's troubled past, got the start this week because Kent Graham suffered a concussion in last week's 16-15 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I'll have to evaluate some things next week, or after that," Fassel said. "I don't like to go back and forth with quarterbacks, but I also want to increase the productivity of our offense.

"I felt Kent had played all right, but I felt last game, although we had good numbers, the thing looked ugly because we had five turnovers. We had 24 first downs. We had four drives of 10 plays or more. There were a lot of good things, but when you throw in the turnovers, it takes away from the good."

Collins has pronounced himself a changed man from his troubled days with Carolina and New Orleans. "I really decided to buckle down and work hard and put everything I've got into it," he said. "Certainly cutting alcohol out of my life has made a big difference. So I feel at this point I'm doing good. I've got to translate that onto the field."

Fassel said Collins has improved on the field as well as off.

"People talked about a hitch in his motion, and long arm action. He's really improved that," Fassel said. "His drops are smoother, and his setup and his base are better. All of that leads to better accuracy, which he's giving us right now. The pleasant surprise is he's smart football-wise, too. He has a savvy about him, an understanding and an instinct to play the position."

New York ranks 25th in the NFL in offense. The Cardinals are 28th.

And while Fassel thinks his team has problems with 11 turnovers this season, Arizona coach Vince Tobin has had to endure 17 of them, including Plummer's 13 interceptions.

"I think execution is the No. 1 thing," Tobin said. "We've got to run the ball better. We've got to throw the ball better. Turnovers have been a problem in the first four games. We've got to put that behind us. Sometimes you worry about so many things that have happened in the past you continue to make the same mistakes in the same plays, so our emphasis right now is to put the first four games behind us and get on into this second quarter of the season."

Tobin isn't sure how much anything will change with Collins directing the Giants' offense.

"Obviously, we've got to study Collins a little more," Tobin said. "Most of the film we've got of the Giants have got Kent playing quarterback. Even if you go back and look at Collins playing with another team, that doesn't help you a lot. Maybe it helps the coaches, but basically we're playing the Giants football team with a different quarterback in there.

"I'm sure their offense won't change a lot. They're very similar in a lot of ways. They're big, tall, strong quarterbacks that can see over the pocket."

When they beat New Orleans 19-17 late last season, the Cardinals harassed Collins with a fierce blitz. But Collins now is in an entirely different offense.

Reviving Arizona's offense is no easy task with big-play wide receiver Rob Moore doubtful with a pulled hamstring and offensive tackle James Dexter out with torn triceps.

Plummer, the lowest-rated starting quarterback in the NFL with two touchdown passes to go with his 13 picks, gets no help from a running game that is averaging 2.8 yards per carry. Yet Plummer, who said his sore right thumb is probably as good as its going to get this season, maintains good things are just ahead.

"We're trying hard, we're just not doing the techniques and the little assignments," he said. "Once we get that down, we should be fine."

NY GIANTS Season schedule and results

ARIZONA Season schedule and results

September 12 @Tampa Bay W 17-13 September 19 Washington L 21-50 September 26 @New England L 14-16 October 3 Philadelphia W 16-15 October 10 @Arizona 4:05pm ET October 18 Dallas 9:00pm ET October 24 New Orleans 1:00pm ET October 31 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 14 Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 21 @Washington 4:15pm ET November 28 Arizona 1:00pm ET December 5 NY Jets 1:00pm ET December 12 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET December 19 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET December 26 Minnesota 1:00pm ET January 2 @Dallas 4:05pm ET

September 12 @Philadelphia W 25-24 September 19 @Miami L 16-19 September 27 San Francisco L 10-24 October 3 @Dallas L 7-35 October 10 NY Giants 4:05pm ET October 17 Washington 8:20pm ET October 31 New England 4:05pm ET November 7 @NY Jets 1:00pm ET November 14 Detroit 4:15pm ET November 21 Dallas 4:15pm ET November 28 @NY Giants 1:00pm ET December 5 Philadelphia 4:05pm ET December 12 @Washington 1:00pm ET December 19 Buffalo 8:20pm ET December 26 @Atlanta 1:00pm ET January 2 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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