We had concerns about John Metchie III entering week three. He hadn’t really made an impact in any of his previous games this preseason, and with other players like Robert Woods and Aiden Hutchinson starting to make an impact, it seemed like Metchie could be on the list of players to be released. Then the game against the New York Giants.
The Giants, who had the 27th best defense in 2023, seemingly only got worse in the offseason. At least on defense. The focus was on better supporting Daniel Jones on offense, and that’s what many of the moves focused on. The defense has suffered in part. They still have some good players on the unit, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that they’ll be traded rather than used as building blocks for future success.
So Metchie had the best opportunity in the world to shine against the Giants on Saturday. And that’s exactly what the third-year receiver did. He caught six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, all in limited playing time and with Case Keenum at his setter. Whether you think Keenum is the Houston Texans’ second or third-best quarterback is up to you, but Keenum is not a guy who pushes opposing defenses to the limit. He throws a lot of undervalued throws. So the fact that Metchie did so well with Keenum at quarterback says a lot about Metchie’s performance.
One good game doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods. Woods hasn’t been impressive as a pass receiver, but he’s had strong numbers as a blocker (61.4 as a run blocker according to PFF), and Hutchinson has made the most of his limited time, catching two passes for 20 yards. So the battle for the last few receiver positions is far from over.
Metchie hasn’t secured anything yet, but it’s no longer a two-way race.
