The Giants got the kind of Monday update that can calm a locker room fast.
After J.J. McCarthy left Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles with a hip injury, there was real concern about how he’d hold up heading into Week 10. But according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Giants head coach John Harbaugh said McCarthy should be ready for Thursday night’s matchup with the Washington Commanders.
"Giants QB J.J. McCarthy suffered a hip pointer during Sunday’s win in Philadelphia, but the team is confident that he will be ready for Thursday night’s game vs. Washington," Schefter reports.
That’s a welcome break for New York after a physical game in which both McCarthy and Jameis Winston were under pressure often. McCarthy exited after a hard collision with linebacker Zack Baun, with both players heading to the locker room. The injury was later identified as a hip issue, and for a moment, it looked like the Giants might have to sweat out the week.
Instead, the early read is encouraging. McCarthy, who has taken over the QB1 job from Winston after stepping in following Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury, is expected to be in line to start against Washington.
The timing still makes this a little dicey. The Giants are on a short week, and Thursday night doesn’t leave much room for recovery. McCarthy did return to the game and help New York finish off the Eagles, but the quick turnaround adds another layer of uncertainty.
Even so, as of Monday, the outlook is positive for the Giants heading into their NFC East matchup with Washington two days after the 2026 NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
In Other News...
Commanders Face An Awkward Mike Sainristil Question At Trade Deadline
The trade deadline always creates a little noise around players who are not quite fitting the way the team hoped, and Mike Sainristil has become one of those names in Washington. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently pointed to Sainristil and Dorance Armstrong as possible candidates to watch, a reminder that the Commanders could face some uncomfortable roster decisions as the deadline approaches.
Sainristil, a 2024 second-round pick, has seen his role and production dip this season, and he has spent most of his time on special teams lately. Even so, the Commanders have not opened trade talks involving him, and the current plan is to keep working with him rather than move on from a player they still believe can be part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Addressed The Final Play Commanders Fans Are Still Questioning
The Commanders 20-13 loss to the Rams at home left plenty to sort through, especially with Jayden Daniels working behind a depleted offense and trying to keep Washington afloat against a defense that kept pressing. Even in defeat, there was some encouraging resistance on the other side of the ball, with Matthew Stafford limited to 228 yards, but Puka Nacua still found enough room to hurt Washington with 150 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Dan Quinn was asked about the final play that had fans buzzing, a short throw that became the subject of immediate second-guessing. Quinn pointed to the Rams blitz as the reason the ball came out where it did and made it clear he was not pleased with how the play was carried out, leaving the late-game sequence as one more painful detail in a loss that already had enough of them. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Peters Faces A Defining Call As Commanders Hit A Crossroads
The Commanders are approaching a stretch that could shape how aggressively Adam Peters works the trade market, with the front office watching closely as the team tries to steady itself before the 2026 deadline. Injuries have thinned the roster and complicated the depth chart, leaving Washington in a spot where every game now carries extra weight for a team trying to stay in the playoff conversation.
A key matchup with the Rams looms as a useful checkpoint, not just for the standings but for the bigger question of what Peters should do next. If Washington can keep its record moving in the right direction, the deadline could become a chance to add help rather than simply endure the attrition, but a setback would only sharpen the pressure on a general manager already facing one of his most consequential calls. [Read more 🡒]