By Scott Garbarini, Associate NFL Editor -- (Sports Network) - An attacking and intimidating defense has propelled the New York Giants to the best record in the NFC so far this season, not to mention a Super Bowl victory just nine months ago. It's the same formula that has carried the Baltimore Ravens back to respectability one year after a dreadful 2007 campaign.

The two elite stop units will be on display this Sunday at the Meadowlands, where both the Giants and Ravens put four-game win streaks on the line in what figures to be a hard-hitting interconference slugfest.

Baltimore will bring the NFL's second-ranked defense in terms of yards allowed into the northern New Jersey swamps and has yielded a paltry 65.4 rushing yards per game this year, tops in the league. The Giants can boast similar credentials to Sunday's foe, as the defending world champs are third overall in total defense and have surrendered the second-fewest passing yards in the league.

New York also counters the Ravens' prowess in defending the run with a devastating ground attack that is producing an NFL-best 168.9 yards per game this season. Baltimore is quite adept at running the football as well, having averaged just over 150 yards per week (3rd overall) with a rushing offense that has successfully removed some of the burden from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco.

Both teams played to their strengths in their most recent contests. The Giants rolled up a whopping 219 rushing yards that paved the way for a hard-earned 36-31 road victory over division-rival Philadelphia last Sunday, while Baltimore amassed 162 yards on the ground to overpower the Houston Texans in an impressive 41-13 rout at Reliant Stadium in Week 10.

Last week's triumph enabled the 6-3 Ravens to surpass their entire win total of the previous season's 5-11 disappointment, one that triggered the end of the Brian Billick era. With Indianapolis mounting a late comeback to defeat Pittsburgh this past Sunday, Baltimore is now tied with the Steelers for first place in the AFC North.

The Giants sit atop the competitive NFC East all by themselves at the moment with a gaudy 8-1 mark, and currently hold a one-game edge on Carolina in the race for the conference's No. 1 seed. The team's only blemish on its 2008 slate did come at the hands of an AFC North member, however, a 35-14 setback at Cleveland back in Week 6.

New York is 2-1 against AFC North clubs thus far, having toppled lowly Cincinnati in overtime in September and gutting out a 21-14 verdict at Pittsburgh on October 26. The Ravens will be facing their first test from an NFC East squad in 2008 on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY

The Ravens are 2-0 against the Giants in regular season games all-time, prevailing by a 24-23 count at the Meadowlands in 1997 and a 37-14 score at M&T Bank Stadium in 2000.

The only other meeting between the teams took place in Super Bowl XXXV, a 34-7 Baltimore romp at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is 8-6 in his career against the Ravens, including eight straight wins, followed by five consecutive losses, while serving as head coach with Jacksonville (1995-2002). Baltimore's John Harbaugh will be meeting both Coughlin and the Giants for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL

Baltimore's success has been predicated on a persistent running game that has used three different backs in the lead role during the course of this season. Three-time 1,000-yard rusher Willis McGahee (463 rushing yards, 5 TD, 14 receptions) usually gets the heaviest workload when healthy, but the 2007 Pro Bowler's nagging injuries have allowed fullback Le'Ron McClain (366 rushing yards, 5 TD, 15 receptions) and promising rookie Ray Rice (356 rushing yards, 20 receptions) to receive their share of carries. McGahee appeared to be at 100 percent during last week's win over Houston, as he established season- bests of 112 yards and 25 attempts while scoring a pair of touchdowns. The ex- Buffalo Bill had sat out most of the previous Sunday's game at Cleveland with a sprained ankle, with the Rutgers product Rice putting up a career-best 154 yards on 21 totes in his place. The Ravens lead the NFL in both rushing attempts (344) and time of possession (34:19).

Whoever is running the ball for Baltimore on Sunday will be tested by a Giants defense that limited Philadelphia star Brian Westbrook to a mere 26 yards on 13 carries last week and has yet to permit an individual 100-yard rusher in 2008. Middle linebacker and top tackler Antonio Pierce (47 tackles, 1 sack) heads up a formidable front seven that has held the opposition to just 87.7 yards per game on the ground (7th overall), while beefy tackles Barry Cofield (24 tackles, 2 tackles) and Fred Robbins (21 tackles, 5.5 tackles) make it a challenge for teams to run inside.

The Giants will almost certainly crowd the line of scrimmage on early downs and attempt to force Baltimore into obvious passing situations, where defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can unleash his array of blitz packages on the young Flacco. New York stands third in the NFL with 30 sacks and sports a pair of devastating pass-rushing ends in Justin Tuck (39 tackles, 8.5 sacks) and Mathias Kiwanuka (26 tackles, 6 sacks). The defense is giving up only 177.1 passing yards per game and has gotten high-level play out of cornerback Corey Webster (25 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack), who ranks among the league leaders with 14 passes defensed. Regular strong safety James Butler (37 tackles, 2 INT) missed last week's win with a knee sprain, but the Giants have rookie first-round pick Kenny Phillips (40 tackles, 1 INT) ready to step in if he's unable to go on Sunday. The Ravens have done a solid job of protecting Flacco, who's been sacked only 17 times in his nine starts.

Flacco (1649 passing yards, 7 TD, 7 INT) may still be learning on the job, but the strong-armed quarterback's weekly improvement under center has been instrumental to Baltimore's recent run. After throwing seven interceptions in the first five games, he has not committed a turnover during the Ravens' four- game win streak and posted a passer rating of over 100 in three of the last four outings. Veteran wideout Derrick Mason (46 receptions, 598 yards, 2 TD) has been the rookie's clear-cut favorite target, but he dislocated his shoulder in the Houston game and may see a reduced role on Sunday. With Mason ailing, two-time Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap (18 receptions, 2 TD) hauled in two touchdown passes against the Texans and finished with season-bests of five catches and 58 receiving yards.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

Like the Ravens, New York favors a ball-control approach on offense and has a bevy of capable backs that have consistently been able to move the chains. The headliner is 264-pound bruiser Brandon Jacobs (806 rushing yards, 9 TD, 5 receptions), who delivered his second straight 100-yard effort with a 126- yard, two-touchdown performance that keyed last weekend's big win over the Eagles. Ball security has been a recent issue, however, as Jacobs has fumbled three times over the Giants' last four games. The gargantuan back is routinely spelled by Derrick Ward (490 rushing yards, 1 TD, 23 receptions), a superior receiver to Jacobs who has provided an effective change of pace. The Giants are averaging a league-best 5.2 yards per carry behind a cohesive offensive line anchored by standout right guard Chris Snee.

New York's punishing ground game will be put to the test by a Baltimore defense that is surrendering a miniscule 2.9 yards per rush attempt and has not allowed an enemy back to eclipse the 100-yard mark in 28 consecutive contests. The Ravens have also yielded only a single rushing touchdown in nine games this year, tied with Tampa Bay for the fewest in the NFL. As usual, the unit is led by perennial All-Pro inside linebacker Ray Lewis (62 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack), who's making a strong case for a 10th career trip to Honolulu, while massive tackle Haloti Ngata (27 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack) has earned the distinction of one of the game's premier run-stoppers. The Ravens have had to withstand a season-ending neck injury to rugged strong safety Dawan Landry in Week 2, but the defense hasn't skipped a beat with stand-in Jim Leonhard (36 tackles, 1 sack) taking over.

With the Giants' rushing attack unlikely to meet its customary high standards on Sunday, the offense will have to rely more upon the right arm of quarterback Eli Manning (1926 passing yards, 14 TD, 6 INT), who's been steady but unspectacular in recent weeks following a torrid start to the season. The former No. 1 overall pick has not thrown for over 200 yards in any of the team's last five games, but he's generally been solid save for a three- interception night in last month's loss to Cleveland. Manning has plenty of weapons to choose from in the wide receiver grouping of Plaxico Burress (32 receptions, 4 TD), Amani Toomer (29 receptions, 2 TD) and Steve Smith (35 receptions, 1 TD), while tight end Kevin Boss (19 receptions, 4 TD) has emerged as a preferred red-zone target as of late. The second-year pro has a touchdown catch in three straight games.

Despite a host of changes to the secondary due to injuries, the Ravens have still made it difficult for opposing quarterbacks to put up big numbers. Baltimore ranks ninth overall against the pass (173.4 ypg) and has snared 14 interceptions in its nine games, including four of Houston substitute Sage Rosenfels in this past Sunday's rout. Veteran cornerback Samari Rolle (6 tackles, 2 INT) had one of last week's picks in his return to action after a six-game absence while recovering from neck surgery, while Lewis intercepted two Rosenfels throws on the afternoon. The team did place accomplished cover man Chris McAlister (knee) on injured reserve on Tuesday, but the backfield still has its most important piece around in ball-hawking free safety Ed Reed (21 tackles, 1 INT, 6 PD), a four-time Pro Bowler. Manning will also have to pay close attention to athletic linebacker/end hybrid Terrell Suggs (39 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 INT), Baltimore's best pass rusher, and 12th-year lineman Trevor Pryce (17 tackles, 4 sacks), who has notched a sack in back-to-back weeks.

FANTASY FOCUS

In a matchup where points may very well be at a premium, the safest bets for fantasy success are the two excellent defenses that will take the field on Sunday and 40-something kickers John Carney and Matt Stover, both of whom could play pivotal roles in the outcome of this game. Jacobs has been gold for his owners all year long, but optimism should be tempered this week against a Ravens' stop unit that has been remarkably stingy against the run. McGahee's breakout game last Sunday makes the brittle Baltimore back an attractive option, although he'll likely find the going a little tougher this time around. Flacco still has to earn his stripes as a starting quarterback in the fantasy world, while Manning's a shaky bet in his own right unless there are no better alternatives. Keep an eye on tight ends Heap and Boss, who have each boosted their stock with a recent upgrades in production.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

With Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons having become this season's media darlings for the rookie's impressive play and his team's unforeseen turnaround, Flacco and the Ravens can't help but feel a little slighted for the lack of attention their own dramatic improvement has received. Baltimore has a golden opportunity to make a statement this week, and it shouldn't surprise anyone if it gives the defending world champs all they can handle on Sunday. This is a prove-it game for Flacco as well, whose string of outstanding recent performances have come against the likes of some of the league's dregs. The Giants are a whole different animal, however, and their knack for making life uncomfortable for quarterbacks could result in the Ravens' new franchise face taking a step backward in his progress. Baltimore went toe-to-toe with heavyweights Pittsburgh and Tennessee earlier this season, but came up just short on both occasions. That may be the story again this week.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Giants 16, Ravens 13