The New York Giants are reeling this week, with safety Jevon Holland and tight end Theo Johnson both officially ruled out for Sunday’s Week 7 matchup against the Houston Texans. This fresh blow means the Giants will be without two crucial starters on both sides of the ball, piling onto an injury list that already includes linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and cornerback Greg Newsome II. We are talking about four starters gone, just like that. This team, currently sitting atop the NFC East at 3-2-1, is about to face a real test.
The Secondary Is Absolutely Gutted
This defense, already battling to keep things tight, just took a brutal hit. Losing Holland, a key veteran safety and an important piece of New York’s secondary since he joined the team, is massive. He was listed as questionable, went through concussion protocol this week, and now he is out. Combine that with cornerback Greg Newsome II, who also suffered a concussion last week against the Saints and is sidelined, and it is a nightmare scenario for their defensive backfield. And don’t forget Tremaine Edmunds, who was ruled out earlier in the week too. That is a ton of talent and experience gone right when they need it most. The Texans, despite their 2-4 record, have actually won two straight games after starting 0-4. Their passing attack could really exploit these gaps. Houston also has their own injury woes with safeties Reed Blankenship and Jalen Pitre, running back David Montgomery, and offensive tackle Blake Fisher out, but that doesn’t make the Giants’ situation any less critical.
J.J. McCarthy’s First Start Just Got Way Harder
On the offensive side, the loss of Theo Johnson is another huge problem. The Giants are prepping for J.J. McCarthy’s first career start at quarterback, after he came in for Jameis Winston last week against the Saints. McCarthy threw for 243 yards and a touchdown in relief, which earned him the starting nod for Houston. Now, he’s got to make his debut as the starter without a key tight end in Johnson, who has been a big part of their tight end rotation. That means more opportunities will fall to Isaiah Likely and the other tight ends, but it’s still a significant adjustment for a brand-new starter. Johnson’s absence removes a familiar target for McCarthy and is absolutely going to affect how New York approaches their passing game this Sunday.
When you add up Holland, Johnson, Edmunds, and Newsome, the Giants are rolling into Sunday’s game with a seriously depleted roster. Their hold on the NFC East is looking incredibly fragile right now. Can they somehow rally and keep their division lead intact against a Texans team that’s finding its rhythm? We’ll find out Sunday in Houston.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply