Giants’ Theo Johnson, John Michael Schmitz Jr. won’t play vs. Raiders

The New York Giants will be shorthanded in Week 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders, and two key names will not be on the plane. The Giants ruled out tight end Theo Johnson and center John Michael Schmitz Jr. for the matchup with the Raiders. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that both players were downgraded to out and will not travel with the Giants. Johnson is dealing with an illness. Schmitz has a finger injury. The timing stings. The roster already feels thin. The season has already demanded patience from players and fans.

This game comes with a strange edge. Both teams sit at 2–13. Both sit at the bottom of their divisions. The Giants are last in the NFC East. The Raiders are last in the AFC West. Each team carries a nine-game losing streak. That turns Sunday into something raw. It becomes a battle of bottom placers searching for any pulse.

Giants and Raiders in a battle of skids

Theo Johnson’s absence therefore removes a red-zone option and a reliable frame in contested spaces for the Giants. He had steadily grown into a comfort target for the offense. Meanwhile, John Michael Schmitz Jr.’s injury slices into the middle of the Giants line. As a result, protection shifts. Communication changes. The run game must also adjust. From there, next men up step into cold December pressure. In many ways, these are evaluation snaps. Yet they are pride snaps, too.

At the same time, the Giants locker room knows the record. They also know the chance. A losing skid wears on confidence; however, it also invites response. Young players now get tape. Veterans, meanwhile, try to set tone. Coaches in turn look for clean execution and discipline. Ultimately, the margins Sunday will be simple: protect the ball, finish drives, tackle in space. Style points do not matter now. Only relief does.

So two 2–13 teams, the Giants and Raiders, meet under the Week 17 lights. The question becomes emotional as much as tactical. Who stops the slide first?

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