In Week 10, Daniel Jones and the New York Giants will be taking on Davis Mills and the Houston Texans. Heading into the season, these were two teams that were thought to be in very similar places. Both headed into a rebuild, and low expectations were placed on them. Instead, the season has gone drastically different for the two sides.
The Giants currently sit at 6-2, and are near the top of the NFC, while the Texans are 1-6-1 and have the worst record in football. But even amid the struggles that the Texans have had this season, they are still an intriguing team. They have consistently been competitive, with three of their losses this season having come by seven points or less
Even with the losses, they have also shown that they have several legitimate franchise pieces on the roster. Given time, this roster could develop into an elite unit.
Here are 3 reasons why the Giants can’t take the Texans lightly:
3. A tough WR duo
The Texans wide receiver room is in an interesting position at the moment. Their WR1, veteran pass catcher Brandin Cooks, has voiced his displeasure with not being moved at the trade deadline. Also, their young WR2 Nico Collins has had trouble staying on the field as he deals with a groin injury.
But now, the Giants may have to face off against both of them. With the loss of safety Xavier McKinney, this could prove to be a challenge for this unit.
In the seven games that Cooks has played this season, he has been solid, even with the offense relying very much on the run. He has been targeted a team-high 53-times, recording 32 receptions for 354 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Collins, while missing two games, is still second on the Texans in nearly every receiving category. On 30 targets, he has recorded 18 receptions for 305 receiving yards. He is also averaging 16.9 yards per reception, proving that he is always a threat to make a big play.
For the Giants, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson has been superb all season long. He has looked like one of the best corners in the NFL and has limited even the best wide receivers. But this Texans group, which is slightly underrated, could be a real test for this Giants team.