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Giants news: Playoff possibilities, running game spark, more
- Story by
- Giants news: Playoff possibilities, running game spark, more
Good morning, New York Giants fans! Here are the stories you need to know about the first place team in the NFC East.
Is it time to … respect the Giants as favorites in the NFC East? | ESPN.com
Does that feel sustainable? Not really. Narrowly winning (or tying) games over middling teams with late takeaways isn't something you can count on every week, At the same time, somebody has to win this division. At 4-2-1, the Giants are two-plus games ahead of the Cowboys and Eagles, with the latter now starting Tanner McKee for the rest of the season and likely to be dealing players at the trade deadline. The Commanders, at 1-4-1, have spent the past few weeks embroiled in their own internal turmoil. ESPN's Football Power Index gives the Giants a 39.0% chance of winning the NFC East, up from 10.5% before the season.
Sometimes, teams claim divisions in triumphant fashion by dominating their competition. Others win by being the last team left standing. The Giants might be more likely to fall in the latter camp, but having not won a division title since 2011, I suspect their fans won't care how they do it.
Not a traitor to the defense
NFL's most pleasant surprises: How real are Steelers, Browns, Giants, Vikings? Pick Six | The Athletic
A coach who spun through McCarthy's pass plays Sunday night offered the following insights: McCarthy's fundamentals have improved some; he has not climbed the pocket unnecessarily as much as in the past; there were plays against the Texans on Sunday when he appeared comfortable in the pocket, delivering the ball accurately
McCarthy still forces the ball too much (opponents have dropped three potential interceptions so far, including one in the end zone against New Orleans) He still throws a flat deep ball, making it tougher for receivers to find it, let alone run under it, as was the case for Malik Nabers more than once Sunday
QB Report Cards for 2026 NFL Week 7 | Beacher Report
JJ McCarthy may have revived his career with the New York Giants. While Sunday's effort is merely a one-game sample size after a disappointing start to his career with the Minnesota Vikings, the 2024 first-round draft pick provided a spark for Big Blue. McCarthy set career-highs with 252 passing yards and a 71.4 completion percentage. He did so against the Houston Texans defense, which may not be playing quite as well this season but can still get after opposing quarterbacks.
Less pressure is now on the third-year quarterback, because the Giants didn't draft him in the first round or let Sam Darnold to walk in free agency before he won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. McCarthy is not even expected to be the long-term starter. This opportunity allows the young signal-caller to get comfortable and just play. That's exactly what he did Sunday. Grade: B+
NFL Week 7 winners and losers: Cam Skattebo, J.J. McCarthy lift Giants | CBSSports.com
Winners: Cam Skattebo, J.J. McCarthy and the Giants.Call it the Cam Skattebo redemption game. One week after John Harbaugh relegated him to the bench, the New York Giants running back amassed 124 yards and a touchdown in a bounce-back effort against the Houston Texans. He broke loose for a 42-yarder, which set the Giants up to win in overtime. Plus, it was the first 100-yard game of his career. Skattebo also held onto the ball, which should put him back in his coach's good graces after he opened the year tied for the most fumbles by a non-quarterback through six weeks.
This is McCarthy's fifth win in as many starts dating back to his time as the Minnesota Vikings' No. 1 quarterback. If he can keep it up, this is precisely the kind of upside the Giants bet on when they made the low-risk investment in McCarthy. They can win with him and more than salvage a season that could have been lost when their Week 1 starter had his campaign cut short.
Is there such a thing as double pancake block?
With similar traits as Jaxson Dart, J.J. McCarthy gives Giants chance to win rest of season| SNY.tv
McCarthy, still just 23 years old and making only his 11th career start, looked very much like a player worthy of his first-round draft selection. He didn't turn it over. He bought time with his legs. He layered throws and threw with anticipation. He worked through his reads playing within the structure of Matt Nagy's offense. The Giants traded for McCarthy after Dart went down believing, once caught up to speed, he'd allow their offense to function with similar principles and concepts to that of Dart, where much of that needed to be thrown out with the statuesque Winston.
McCarthy hasn't stopped smiling since arriving in New York. He's connected with teammates on both sides of the ball. There's a working, back-and-forth relationship with Nagy to marry his offensive philosophies with what McCarthy is comfortable with. He's as confident now as ever before, the game slowing down. He's playing loose, free, trusting what he's seeing and letting it fly.
J.J. McCarthy's win over Texans opens door to intriguing Giant possibilities | New York Daily News
J.J. McCarthy's winning performance in Houston opened the door to the possibility that the Giants may have found something in the former Minnesota Vikings first-round pick. Now McCarthy's play against the division rival Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders after the Giants' Week 8 bye will clarify exactly what that is.
Continuing to play efficiently and cleanly will be a challenge for McCarthy, because the Eagles and Commanders now have film on exactly what this Giants offense looks like with him at QB. The Houston Texans didn't have much of that scheme to review outside of Dart's Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Eluemunor: Give coaching staff credit
Challenges accepted: Giants don ' t ' run ' from problems | Giants.com
"Our guys, man, that was a players' win in every way," Harbaugh said. "Blocking, tackling, special teams, covering kicks, pass game, operating, getting stops when we needed stops, fighting back from adversity. But just playing one play at a time, as well as you can, regardless of the last play with no thought for the next play, as hard as you can. As Abdul Carter told the guys at halftime, 'No matter what, empty the tank. No matter what, come back in here with nothing left.' And that's what they did."
How this NY Giants comeback star shut down one of the NFL's best | The Record
Deonte Banks had yet to even look at the box score.
This was completely the opposite from the post-game scene three weeks ago when the New York Giants cornerback left MetLife Stadium in a frenzy when his walk-off Pick 6 of Jacoby Brissett sealed the Oct. 4 victory over the Cardinals.
Ex-NFL coach: John Harbaugh has brought an 'identity' to the Giants | NJ.com
"The best teams in the NFL have an identity," former Dallas Cowboys head coach and former Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said Sunday on NBC. "For 19 years, [the] Pittsburgh Steelers had an identity [under Mike Tomlin]. For 13 years, [the] New England Patriots had an identity [under Bill Belichick]. John Harbaugh has brought an identity to the New York Football Giants. They're tough, they're rugged, and he makes hard decisions."
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