The NFL has scheduling quirks. Teams face off an entire division each year from opposing conferences and by sheer definition you’ll see them every four seasons unless there’s some scheduling quirk involved. The New York Giants are one of those teams for the Texans. We don’t have a particular rivalry and we’re in opposite conferences, so we don’t see them but every four years. By definition, I’ve done this feature once with Ed Valentine from Big Blue Landscape in the last five seasons doing this feature. The Giants made it interesting by making a quarterback change in the middle of the week and that’s where our conversation began.
Battle Red Blog: The Giants tabbed JJ McCarthy to start this week. What should we expect to see from him? Are Giants fans confident he can raise the level of play at the position and lead the Giants to the playoffs?
Ed Valentine: I don’t think we really know what to expect. I know Giants fans think this is the right choice. McCarthy has been with the team for less than a month, and how comfortable he will be with the entire offense is anyone’s guess. He says he can run the whole playbook, but we’ll see.
He energized the Giants’ offense, and he brought the quarterback run back to the offense. The Giants have built an offense around Jaxson Dart, and the quarterback run game is a big part of that. That’s out the window with Jameis Winston. McCarthy isn’t the runner Dart was, but he’s young, athletic, can run, and brings that part of the playbook back to the arsenal. He also has a big arm, and isn’t afraid to use it.
Can he get the Giants to the playoffs? That’s anyone’s guess. McCarthy probably has more upside than Winston, but he flopped last year in Minnesota and was No. 3 on the Vikings’ depth chart for a reason.
BRB: Cam Skattebo didn’t get many carries last week. Has he fallen out of favor following his failure against Washington?
EV: Cam Skattebo played six snaps and got ZERO carries Sunday against the Saints. He was held accountable for fumbling four times in five games, including three in a row. His overtime fumble against the Commanders was inexcusable, and gave the Giants a chance to win. The Giants released Najee Harris this week, so Skattebo will likely be right back in the mix this weekend.
BRB: Malik Nabers is one of the top receivers in the NFL this season. How would you compare him to other WR1s in the league?
EV: Honestly, I don’t spend a lot of time studying Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, etc. That said, Nabers is a tremendous playmaker. He’s a top 10 receiver, no doubt.
BRB: Who are some names we haven’t heard that could make an impact on Sunday?
EV: The Giants don’t really have a bunch of out-of-nowhere guys you’ve probably never heard of. Maybe Trace Ford, a second-year edge defender just added to the 53 or kick returner/receiver Charlie Jones, who caught his first two passes with the Giants last week.
BRB: The Texans opened as heavy favorites (7.5 advanced to 10 points) according to Fanduel. How do you see the game going? Are there any prop bets you feel comfortable recommending?
EV: I think it’s a tough game for the Giants. I fear that the Texans defense, which has not been right this season, will have a right game. Prop bets are not my thing. I don’t pay much attention.
We would like to thank Ed for taking the time to answer our questions. These will be the rarest of occasions where yours truly will be able to attend a Texans game. It was the first time in my life to attend a Texans game even though I attended many Houston Oilers games back in the day. We want to wish Ed and the Giants the best of luck for the rest of the season. As always, we hope the luck starts on Monday morning.