The Texans get the Giants at a good time on paper: they’re favored by more than a touchdown, chasing a third straight win, and trying to roll into their Week 8 bye with some momentum. But this isn’t the kind of matchup they can just coast through, not with Malik Nabers waiting on the other side.
That’s why Derek Stingley Jr. looms so large in this one. If Houston is going to keep the Giants from making Sunday interesting, its All-Pro corner may need to set the tone.
Stingley’s season has been uneven so far. He hasn’t played like the same shutdown force he was a year ago, and the numbers reflect that.
Through six games, he’s giving up the highest passer rating of his career when targeted at 87.3, and he still hasn’t recorded an interception. A lot of that has come with Houston leaning more heavily on zone coverage, where Stingley has been used on 76.6% of his coverage snaps, up from 63.3% in 2025.
In those looks, he’s already allowed 146 yards, which is 41 more than he gave up all of 2025, when he allowed 107.
This week could look different. Houston may scale back the zone usage after losing starting safety Reed Blankenship, who has been ruled out because of a concussion/hand injury.
The Texans are likely to turn to M.J. Stewart alongside Calen Bullock and try to get the back end working again.
That matters because Nabers is exactly the kind of receiver who can tilt a game. In his last two games played, he’s seen 35 total targets and turned them into more than 23 catches, 286 yards and a touchdown.
He’s clearly the focal point of the New York passing game, especially with J.J. McCarthy making his first start at quarterback.
Houston cannot let Nabers turn this into a track meet. If he pops early, the Giants have a real path to hanging around on the road. The Texans have already seen what a premier receiver can do to this defense this season, and CeeDee Lamb’s Week 4 line is the cautionary example.
A strong day from Stingley changes that equation fast. It would go a long way toward getting him back on track after a shaky start, and it would strip away the Giants’ easiest way to score. If Nabers is held down, the New York offense is left leaning on Isaiah Likely, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney and a running game committee that’s described as dysfunctional.
That’s the version of this game Houston wants. And getting there starts with Stingley winning his matchup.
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