Amid the noise surrounding the Giants this week - quarterback questions, trade chatter, and the roster churn that comes with mid-week cuts - they still have a game to play, and it carries weight. A Week 7 win over the Houston Texans would give Big Blue a stronger cushion in the NFC East and keep the path to the playoffs clear for John Harbaugh’s team.
But getting there won’t be simple. Houston is rolling, and the Giants are handing J.J.
McCarthy his first start against a defense that can wreck a game in a hurry. That makes the individual battles inside this matchup just as important as the bigger storyline.
The first place to look is the right edge, where Giants tackle Jermaine Eluemunor will have his hands full with Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. Anderson is charging toward a Defensive Player of the Year case, and the numbers back it up: he leads the NFL with 7.5 sacks and has been one of the league’s toughest run defenders off the edge.
The Giants cannot let him turn this game into his personal showcase, especially with the uncertainty that comes with McCarthy under center. Eluemunor, working back from a calf injury, does not need to dominate Anderson - but he does need to survive the matchup and avoid letting a star defender dictate the day.
On the outside, New York’s secondary faces another major test. Giants cornerback Deonte Banks will likely draw Nico Collins, and that’s a dangerous assignment for a defense already stretched thin.
C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ passing game have been on a heater, and Collins has been a big part of it with 323 yards and three touchdowns in four games this season.
With Greg Newsome II and Paulson Adebo both dealing with injuries, Banks is New York’s only healthy starting cornerback. He has flashed impact plays this year, but he has also had his share of mistakes.
If he slips against Collins, Stroud is more than capable of making the Giants pay.
Then there’s McCarthy himself, and the balancing act that comes with his first start. In his almost miraculous comeback against the New Orleans Saints, he launched four passes more than 20 yards downfield, and every one of them was caught.
Those throws accounted for 146 yards and a touchdown, which essentially carried most of his production. The problem is obvious: that kind of deep-ball luck does not always hold.
The Giants can still call those shots, but McCarthy will need to find easier completions too. If the offense only runs on risky throws downfield, the law of averages could come knocking fast.
In Other News...
Giants Are Being Linked To A Major Jonathan Taylor Decision
NFL Networks Ian Rapoport has put Jonathan Taylor back into the center of the leagues trade chatter, noting that multiple teams could take a look if the Indianapolis Colts make him available before the deadline. From the Giants perspective, it is the kind of name that naturally gets attention, especially with running back help remaining a popular talking point around the roster and the offense still searching for more reliable production on the ground.
The list of possible suitors also includes the Seahawks and Vikings, which only adds to the sense that any move for Taylor would come with real competition and a steep price. For now, though, it remains an exercise in fit and speculation rather than a confirmed deal, with the conversation around New York focused on whether a swing that big would even be realistic if the Colts decide to entertain offers. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy's First Giants Start May Hinge On One Connection
J.J. McCarthy is set to make his first start for the Giants against the Texans, and the early blueprint around him looks pretty clear. The team wants to play to his strengths as a game manager, building the offense around short and intermediate throws that can keep him on schedule and help him settle into the job without asking too much too soon.
A big part of that approach could come through Isaiah Likely, who has become a central piece of the passing game and gives McCarthy a reliable target in the middle of the field. With Houstons defense looming, the Giants are trying to create answers before the rush and coverage can dictate the script, and how quickly McCarthy and Likely get on the same page may say a lot about how this debut goes. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Secondary Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
The Giants secondary keeps getting thinned out just as the schedule asks for more of it, and the latest update only adds to the urgency. Jevon Holland has been downgraded to out for the upcoming game against Houston because he is still in the concussion protocol, leaving New York to keep reshuffling a defensive backfield that already has been stretched by injuries.
Paulson Adebo was activated from injured reserve, which gives the group a needed boost, but there is still plenty of uncertainty around the back end. Greg Newsome II remains out with a concussion, and the Giants also moved Tremaine Edmunds to injured reserve while elevating safety Raheem Layne from the practice squad, another sign that the team is trying to patch together enough reliable bodies for the week ahead. [Read more 🡒]