Isaiah Likely’s last outing was a quiet one, but the setup for Sunday gives him a clear shot to get right.
In J.J. McCarthy’s first start with the Giants, the offense hummed in a 27-21 overtime road upset of the Houston Texans.
Almost everybody got involved. Likely didn’t.
He caught two of four targets for 12 yards and didn’t score, a sharp drop from the pace he had been setting with Jameis Winston at quarterback.
That slump could be short-lived. Philadelphia looks like the ideal opponent for a tight end trying to shake off a down game, and New York is favored on the road against the Eagles for the first time in nearly two decades. The NFC East teams are moving in opposite directions, and the matchup lines up well for Likely after the bye.
A big reason is where he does his damage. This season, 81.4 percent of Likely’s routes have come from the slot, and he has thrived there. He ranks second in the NFL among all players, not just tight ends, with 50 targets from that alignment, and he’s third with 305 receiving yards.
The Eagles have had a hard time stopping slot production. Their defense is in the bottom three in receptions allowed to the slot with 60, receiving yards allowed with 734 and touchdowns allowed with eight in 2026.
Beyond Pro Bowler Zack Baun, the coverage from their linebackers and safeties has been a problem, especially Andrew Mukuba. Cooper DeJean, their primary nickel, has also taken a noticeable step back year over year.
That doesn’t mean the Eagles can simply ignore Malik Nabers, either. The Giants’ star wideout is likely to see plenty of Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia’s All-Pro corner and one of the league’s best shutdown defenders. Nabers is a major threat, but this looks like a better spot for New York to attack elsewhere.
Still, there’s a wrinkle that could affect Likely’s outlook. The Giants are working the market for more firepower before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, and the running back position is a major area of focus.
Head coach John Harbaugh has said he’ll “turn over every stone,” and he appears willing to make a major move. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, a Salem, New Jersey native, is on the radar. If New York lands him, Likely’s role could shrink.
A trade for Taylor, or another high-end back, would change the offense in a hurry. As a three-down force, he would immediately become the centerpiece of the game plan, and that would push Likely - and to a lesser extent Nabers - down the pecking order.
Harbaugh has made no secret of wanting to win on the ground, for better or worse. That’s been tough to pull off with the Giants’ shaky backfield. Taylor would solve that problem, but it would also likely mean fewer chances for Likely and more dud weeks ahead.
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Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports recently pointed to LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green as a possible future answer if Johnson does not take a clear step forward. Green brings the kind of size, speed and contested-catch ability that can make a passing game more dangerous, though he would still need to sharpen his run-blocking to fit what the Giants want from the position. [Read more 🡒]
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That backdrop is why the chatter around a possible Khalil Mack pursuit has started to pick up. The veteran linebacker would fit the kind of immediate, proven fix teams look for when they are trying to stabilize a defense in-season, but for now it remains only speculation, with no official deal in place as the Giants keep sorting through their own roster issues. [Read more 🡒]