The New York Giants may be off to a hot start this season, but their standing could slip out of their grasp in a moment.
Sunday begins what very well could be the most important stretch of the Giants' 2026 season. Over the next month, the G-Men face opponents with a combined record of 3-9, starting with the Arizona Cardinals. If Big Blue wants to make a statement to its fanbase and the league, one of its most promising young players needs to take advantage of one of the Cardinals' biggest weaknesses.
It seems everyone is waiting for Abdul Carter to finally show he's worth the top-five pick the Giants spent on him. Through 20 career games, the 46 tackles and five sacks. Through three games in 2026, he has the Giants' lone sack and six tackles. It's not quite what was expected of Carter and this group heading into this season. However, if Carter were to ever have an opportunity for a breakout game, it would be Sunday.
Abdul Carter must lead Giants' defensive line to a Week 4 bounce-back
The right tackle situation in Arizona has been a mess through the first month of the year. Elijah Wilkinson has been the starter after signing with Arizona this offseason and has not looked the part. In three games, he's allowed seven pressures and has earned just a 52.6 PFF grade. This struggling side of the offensive line could be the spark Carter needs to get things going in 2026.
With Brian Burns out for the year and Carter's draft hype, it's natural for Carter to face the majority of the scrutiny, but this doesn't all fall on him. The pass rush was supposed to be one of, if not the best in the league, and it just hasn't been there. Again, only one sack through three games is unacceptable with all the talent the front seven has.
Carter can't shoulder the load on his own. Kayvon Thibodeaux needs to make his presence felt on Sunday. As the Giants get further into the season and face better and better quarterbacks, getting after the QB is going to be imperative given the Giants' struggles in the secondary.
If the Giants' pass rushers can put together a good performance against the Cardinals, it could be the momentum builder they desperately need. With Burns out, they need someone else to lead by example, and that someone else is Abdul Carter.
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