TEMPE – It is not alarmist thinking to state the next loss for the Giants in a division game will seriously hurt their playoff chances.

Today’s game at Sun Devil Stadium is the first of two meetings with the Cardinals and it is imperative that the Giants sweep the season series from a team that is once again a non-contender.

The Giants cannot afford to fall any further behind the Eagles in the NFC East race and especially cannot drop deeper in a hole within the division. The Giants (4-4) are 2-2 in the division, while the Eagles (4-3) are 3-1 in the division.

“This one is critical,” Jim Fassel said, “because of our divisional record and Philadelphia’s divisional record. We get to play them one more time. I don’t look at us and think we can lose divisional games.”

Already, the Giants have dropped a game to the Redskins in the division, while the Eagles were upset at home by the Cardinals.

“We put ourselves enough of a bind by not getting it done in St. Louis and not getting it done against Philly and not really showing up in Washington,” receiver Ike Hilliard said. “Those division games hurt.”

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Arizona’s most dangerous offensive threat, by far, is WR David Boston (46-727, 1 TD). Figure CB Jason Sehorn will see a great deal of Boston, who can be a force at 6-2 and 222 pounds.

Owen Pochman, a rookie place-kicker, will punt today, although he has not punted since his high school days at Mercer Island (Wash.) High School.