The Giants got a tough break on the injury front ahead of Week 7, and this one lands hard.
New York, sitting atop the NFC East at 3-2-1, is preparing to face the Houston Texans before both teams head into a bye. But the roster the Giants bring to that matchup is already looking different.
J.J. McCarthy has taken over at quarterback, Cam Skattebo’s role has shrunk, and Tremaine Edmunds is done for the season.
Now there’s another major loss to deal with.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Giants will be without superstar defensive back Jevon Holland and reserve tight end Theo Johnson against Houston. Both players were ruled out on Saturday, 24 hours before kickoff.
"The Giants downgraded S Jevon Holland (concussion) and TE Theo Johnson (neck) to out for tomorrow's game against the Texans," Garafolo reports.
Johnson’s absence is still a hit, even with Isiah Likely doing more than enough in the No. 1 tight end role. Holland, though, is the real problem. He has been one of the Giants’ best players this season, and losing him removes a major piece from the back end of the defense.
That matters even more this week because the Texans bring C.J. Stroud to town. Stroud has been sharp as a passer this season, and with New York’s top defensive back sidelined, he could be in line for a big afternoon.
The timing is brutal for the Giants, too. They are already without Brian Burns and just lost Edmunds this week, so Holland’s absence adds another crack to a defense that’s taking on water.
Holland has three interceptions and five passes defended this season. He has emerged as a star for New York, and now he’ll miss at least this game because of the concussion.
The good news for the Giants is that the Week 8 bye should limit the damage to one missed game. But even one game can swing things, and this one matters. The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are set to play a game that could leave the winner just 0.5 games behind New York in the NFC East race.
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