What happened: New York's quarterback change elevates J.J. McCarthy after he threw his first touchdown pass for the franchise in relief on Oct. 19, per Jordan Raanan and Adam Schefter. McCarthy steps into Sunday's road matchup in Houston for his first start with the Giants, calling himself honored to get the opportunity this weekend.

Why it matters: The first-place Giants are handing the offense to the 2024 No. 10 overall draft pick as they look to hold their division lead. Houston enters Sunday's contest coming off a 34-31 victory on Oct. 18, testing New York's offense immediately on the road.

What to watch: McCarthy will take first-team reps through the remainder of the week ahead of Sunday's kickoff against the Texans in Houston.