Jermaine Eluemunor walked into this season saying he was the best right tackle in the NFL, and after seven games, the Giants have plenty of reason to back him up.
That belief looked especially justified in Week 7, when New York beat the Houston Texans 27-21 in overtime. The spotlight went to Cam Skattebo in his return from last week's benching and J.J.
McCarthy in his first start, but the Giants’ offensive line did the heavy lifting too. They created room in the run game and kept McCarthy clean, and Eluemunor did his part against a Houston pass rush that was supposed to be a problem.
Will Anderson Jr. was the headliner on that Texans front, and he came away as a non-factor. Eluemunor played 31 pass-blocking snaps and gave up only two pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
After the game, Eluemunor didn’t shy away from the subject. Speaking about Houston’s pass rush, he said "if you didn't hear [Will Anderson Jr.'s] name today, then I did a pretty good job."
He added, "I'm not too shy about saying I'm the best right tackle in the NFL. People can go watch the tape and take from it what they will. I did my job today," said Eluemunor, h/t SNY.
Anderson is hardly some ordinary test. The Texans edge rusher has emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushers since being drafted in the first round, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, earning First Team All-Pro honors in 2025, and making the Pro Bowl twice, in 2023 and 2025. He entered Week 7 with an NFL-best 7.5 sacks, which made Eluemunor’s performance all the more notable.
What makes it even more impressive is that Eluemunor was working back from a calf injury that kept him out of Week 6 against the Saints. On top of that, left tackle Andrew Thomas was dealing with a groin injury.
For the Giants, Eluemunor has become a major part of what is finally a solid offensive line group after years of churn since Super Bowl 46. He signed with the team in 2024 and later agreed to a three-year, $39 million extension, and he has been one of the biggest reasons the unit looks so much better.
His numbers this season back it up. On 193 pass-blocking snaps, Eluemunor has allowed five pressures, one sack and one quarterback hit, according to Pro Football Focus.
That kind of steady play matters in a season where even with the injury to Jaxson Dart early on, the Giants’ line has still given Jameis Winston and McCarthy enough time to operate. Eluemunor has made a strong case that he’s not just talking big - he’s backing it up snap after snap.
In Other News...
Giants Win Could Spark Bigger Fight Over Cam Skattebo Call
The Giants win over the Texans came with a play that is likely to linger well after the final whistle. Running back Cam Skattebo was penalized on a collision that drew an officiating flag, and the call quickly became part of the postgame conversation as New York left with the victory but not much satisfaction over how the moment was handled.
Head coach John Harbaugh did not hide his frustration with the leagues officiating or the way helmet-contact rules are being interpreted. With the Giants already navigating the aftermath of the penalty, the larger issue now is whether the team will push for more clarity from the NFL on what technique it actually wants coached, a question that could carry beyond one disputed snap. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy Just Changed The Giants Offensive Conversation
J.J. McCarthys first start gave the Giants something they have been chasing for a while: a steadier, more expansive conversation about what the offense can become. In Houston, the rookie handled the moment with poise, worked through pressure and showed the arm talent that can change how a defense has to play him. The result was a 27-21 win over the Texans, but the bigger takeaway was how quickly he made the unit look more dangerous and more complete.
McCarthy was sacked three times, yet the rush never seemed to rattle his overall command of the game. Several of his key throws were the kind that make a coaching staff start rethinking what is on the table moving forward, especially after a performance that helped the Giants move the ball at a much higher level than usual. The question now is less about whether he belongs in the discussion and more about how far this version of the offense can go if he keeps building on it. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Have A Familiar Deadline Option To Fix A Thin Rotation
With the Giants sitting at 4-2-1, the next few weeks are going to test how aggressively they want to chase a playoff spot while still protecting future draft capital. The trade deadline on Nov. 10 gives them a narrow window to address a thin defensive tackle rotation, and one familiar name has surfaced as a possible fit: Dalvin Tomlinson, who could give the front four some needed stability without forcing the team into a splashy move.
Tomlinson is the type of target that makes sense for a team trying to thread the needle. A low-cost deal would let the Giants bolster a position group that could use more depth, and his recent play suggests he still has something to offer inside. The question now is whether New York decides to lean into that kind of pragmatic help, or whether it prefers to hold its cards and see how far the current group can carry the defense. [Read more 🡒]