The New York Giants were unable to capitalize off of their win last week, dropping game no. 2 of the preseason 28-10 to the Houston Texans on Saturday.
The starters played the entire first half of this game, and unfortunately for them a lot of the results were not encouraging, particularly from quarterback Daniel Jones, who was playing in his first set of game action since tearing his ACL halfway through last season. There were some good moments, however, especially from rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who played in this game despite dealing with an injury earlier this week.
Here are three takeaways from the Giants’ preseason loss to the Texans:
1. Daniel Jones struggled against Houston’s defensive starters
The Giants are leaning on Jones to bounce back this season after a rough year in 2023, especially with Drew Lock out for an indefinite amount of time with an injury. His first set of drives since the season-ending ACL injury last year did not go as planned, as he threw two interceptions including one that was returned for a pick six after throwing a wobbler towards the sideline in his own end zone, while also going 11-for-18 on his pass attempts.
Jones’ second interception came in the first quarter after he tried to find Jalin Hyatt down the sideline towards the end zone, but Texans defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. jumped the pass and picked off Jones right in front of the goal line. It was not an ideal sequence for a quarterback that has to prove he is worthy of remaining the starter for the long haul, though thankfully for New York, it is still only preseason.
The Giants kept their starters in the game for the second quarter while the Texans threw in their backups, and Jones looked a lot better. In the second quarter, Jones improved quickly in the passing game, making solid short completions to slowly move down the field. His big highlight play was a deep 44-yard bomb to Darius Slayton that led to a Devin Singletary run-in touchdown two plays later.
It would be premature to draw a final conclusion on Jones after just one half of preseason action, but the performance was far from encouraging. He will need to deliver a solid effort in their final preseason game if they want to feel good about him heading into the regular season.
2. Malik Nabers was brilliant in his first true preseason action
Prior to Saturday’s game, it was unclear if Nabers was even going to play in Houston, as the star rookie receiver was dealing with an injury he suffered in practice days before. Ultimately, he ended up playing in this one and did not disappoint.
After not getting any targets in the Giants’ first preseason game, the LSU standout was all over the field against the Texans. He recorded 54 receiving yards on four catches and dazzled with creating separation from defenders and making plays while covered. His main highlight was a beautiful 21-yard reception while turning his body to set up an eventual field goal for New York.
Building chemistry with Jones will be very important in order for the pair to be successful on the field. If there were any concerns about Nabers’ health, those can be swept under the rug, as he put on a full display of exceptional athleticism, which is very exciting to see when looking ahead at the regular season.
3. A few Giants rookies turned some heads against the Texans
New York’s first preseason game was all about their younger players fighting for roster spots, and a handful of guys showcased what they could bring to the Giants in 2024.
Running back Eric Gray, who scored two touchdowns in their first preseason game against the Lions, was solid yet again Saturday as he looks to lock up the RB2 spot. Gray had 40 total yards from scrimmage, 22 of which were through the air on five receptions. He also recorded a solid 13-yard run up the middle for a first down midway through the third quarter.
Defensive tackle Elijah Chatman was equally as impressive on Saturday, and made an unreal play chasing down Texans running back J.J. Taylor to prevent him from getting in the open field.
Chatman was also effective in the pass rush and put a lot of pressure on the Houston quarterbacks. If there is any player that might have secured a spot on the 53-man roster that didn’t already have it, Chatman might have just played his way to a roster spot.
The Giants play their final preseason game next Saturday, Aug. 24 against the crosstown New York Jets, where they might face Aaron Rodgers and many of the other Jets starters. That game will be a huge test for many players looking to secure active roster spots, as well as for many others to bounce back after a tough performance against the Texans.