The New York Giants are looking to avoid a 0-3 start to the season, and they will take on the 2-o Houston Texans tomorrow afternoon in what should be a relatively close game. Of course, the Giants are wildly unpredictable at this point, because while they have talent on both sides of the ball, underperforming receivers and an abhorrent offensive line plague this team. Eli Manning will likely become even more familiar with J.J. Watt by the time Sunday is through, but the most intriguing matchup from this vantage point seems to be the battle between the Texans talented wide receiver duo of Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins against Giants outside corners Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara.
More from NFL
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Chicago Bears HC Matt Eberflus speaks on a number of team issues
- Ranking the top 5 Most Impressive Winning Streaks in NFL History
- Roschon Johnson showing he can be Chicago Bears RB1
- 10 current players bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on first ballot
Even with Walter Thurmond out for the season with a torn pectoral, the Giants still have exceptional talent at the cornerback position and in the secondary as a whole. While the Texans are clearly a running team behind bellcow Arian Foster (Bill O’Brien really needs to start watching his usage rate, though), they also boast an impressive duo of wide receivers. Andre Johnson continues to be a sure-fire, top-ten receiver, while second-year pro Hopkins would earn more plaudits in a more pass-happy offense with a legit franchise QB (we thought that would be the case last year, but Matt Schaub imploded).
Hopkins hasn’t been a huge factor, but he’s been incredibly dangerous and efficient. Not only does he have two touchdown receptions already, but the Clemson product is also averaging over 15 yards per reception with seven receptions on just ten targets. Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn’t been hitting him up frequently, but Hopkins has shown dangerous playmaking ability when he does get the opportunities. In fact, I’d wager that Hopkins is already a No. 1 receiver-type talent in this league.
Based on how the Giants used their corners in the first two games, it looks like Hopkins will see plenty of Prince Amukamara, who, like Hopkins, is a former first-round pick. The man sure is talented, and he’s off to an excellent start now that he’s healthy and playing like a top corner. He stated this offseason that he wanted to make the Giants feel like they got their money’s worth when they drafted him, and it’s clear that he’s well on his way to accomplishing that goal. He’s already faced top receives this year and won most of his battles, so he’s prepared to duke it out with “Nuke”.
The most interesting WR-CB matchup will undoubtedly be the one pitting Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Andre Johnson against each other, as both players are two of the most established in the NFL. DRC finally played up to his potential last year on a prove-it deal with the Denver Broncos, as he re-affirmed his status as an elite shutdown corner in this league. After somewhat holding his own against future Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in Week 1, DRC turned in a strong Week 2 performance against the Arizona Cardinals.
Johnson has been, as expected, the clear focal point of the Texans passing attack, with Fitzpatrick looking to him often. The Texans don’t throw the ball much, but this future HOFer has turned 16 targets into an excellent 167 yards on 12 receptions. He continues to boss defensive backs with his route-running savvy, strength, and elite ball skills. In the past, people would expect him to slow down, but nobody is dumb enough to bet against him anymore. With an average of six catches for 84 yards in his first two games, Johnson will give DRC everything the new Giants big-money CB has in him.