Giants @ Texans
Final Score: Texans 28 – Giants 10
Writer: Brendan Boe (@BeeBoeFF on Twitter)
The Texans look revitalized since DeMeco Ryans took over as head coach, both on offense and defense. Their wide array of talented players, both new and old, will make this team contenders for years to come, with the significant takeaway of this game being that their depth pieces are also very talented. Meanwhile, Brian Daboll seems to be offering us more of the same with their oddly high commitment to shoving Daniel Jones into a starting position. That said, their shiny new rookie, Malik Nabers, proved that he should be the definite focal point of this offense and will likely continue to be a shining star in a dimly lit sky.
Three Up
- CJ Stroud – Stroud certainly looks like he’s going to live up to the expectations from the offseason as he utilized his weapons to march the ball downfield. Though he wasn’t able to score on his drives, his talent shined as he displayed great chemistry with his teammates.
- John Metchie III – Though clearly in line behind the other 3 top receivers, Metchie was the focal point on the second-team offense. He led the team in targets and receiving yards, and capped it off with a touchdown through the air.
- British Brooks – Impressive performance from the undrafted running back, despite being the 5th running back to receive a carry. Brooks made the most of it with 2 touchdowns, with the first one showing his ability to be a powerful runner. His second touchdown was all speed as he zipped 15 yards into the end zone.
One Down
- Daniel Jones – He threw two interceptions in a preseason game. Not all of his throws were bad, but he showed poor decision-making behind the helm. On the bright side, he seems fully recovered from his ACL tear as he looked like his usual rushing self on his 12-yard run.
Giants
Quarterback
Daniel Jones: 11/18, 138 Yards 2 INT | 1 Carry, 12 Yards
Jones is back to his old self again: he is fully recovered from his torn ACL, but it is clear that he is still not the answer for this team. He started to find his groove in the 2nd quarter as he was able to accumulate some yardage, but still didn’t find the endzone. I’d express concern, but this is par for the course with this Giants QB.
Notes
- Showed the ability to run in the open field, displaying a great recovery from his ACL tear.
- Great ball placement on a 44-yard bomb to Darius Slayton.
Missed Opportunities
- Nearly intercepted on his first pass, then went 3 and out in the first drive.
- On the second drive, he was almost sacked in the end zone but threw a pick 6 instead. Terrible decision making, he should’ve known better.
- Threw a second interception on the following drive. To be fair, this one was a good defensive play, but Jones isn’t instilling confidence.
Tommy DeVito: 10/19, 75 Yards | 1 Carry, 2 Yards, Fumble (Lost), Fumble (Recovered)
Tommy didn’t throw any interceptions, but his performance was inconsistent and he lacked the deep play ability that even Daniel Jones was able to show.
Notes
- Made safe plays for short-yardage gains
- The lack of dynamic throws didn’t impress
Missed Opportunities
- Strip-sacked near the end of the game; great play by the defense
Running Back
Devin Singletary: 10 Carries, 20 Yards, TD | 1 Target
10 carries for 20 yards is not a great stat line, but the Giants are clearly committed to giving him the bulk of the carries.
Notes
- 1 yard touchdown to cap off Darius Slayton’s long catch
- Giants showed they’re prepared to make him a 3-down back with the 1st team offense
Eric Gray: 3 Carries, 18 Yards | 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 22 Yards
Gray is the clear #2 behind Devin Singletary, but also has great potential to be used in the passing game as a change of pace back. Gray and Malik Nabers were the only 2 players on the team to have 6 targets.
Notes
- Very involved in the passing game
- Clear backup to Singletary, who had the lion’s share of carries
Lorenzo Lingard: 2 Carries, 13 Yards | 1 Target | Fumble (Lost)
Merely a depth piece, most of the running work was relegated to the other 2 backs.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Malik Nabers: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 54 Yards | 1 Carry, 5 Yards
The first-round rookie looks like an amazing receiver with a Daniel Jones problem. His athleticism is unquestioned as he displayed an acrobatic 14-yard catch in the first drive, and later followed up with an amazing catch on the edge for 21 yards, showing great awareness as he tapped his toes on the edge to stay in bounds. However, the underwhelming performance of his QB could hinder his production. He’s so talented though – I’m not worried about him.
Notes
- Acrobatic 14-yard catch
- Amazing catch on the edge for 21 yards; great awareness making sure to tap his toes in bounds
Missed Opportunities
- Dropped a very catchable pass, it bobbled off of his hands
Darius Slayton: Darius Slayton: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 59 Yards
Every team needs a deep threat, and Slayton has owned this role for years on the Giants. His breakaway speed and ability to complete a route are as strong as ever as Daniel Jones found him deep on the edge near the goal line.
Notes
- Caught all 3 targets
- Amazing 44-yard bomb
Missed Opportunities
- Tackled just short of the goal line
Isaiah Hodgins: Isaiah Hodgins: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 14 Yards
Had the 3rd most targets on the team (4) despite having a quiet day. Hodgins could slot in as the WR3 in New York.
Allen Robinson: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 10 Yards
He’s back, y’all! Well, he’s still in the NFL at least. This man is just a depth piece on this team.
Texans
Quarterback
CJ Stroud: 7/10, 88 Yards
Houston found their franchise QB last year, and great things are expected of him moving forward. We already knew this, but it’s refreshing to see more Stroud football to confirm all our biases. He didn’t score a touchdown despite coming close, but his ability to spread the ball out to his many talented receivers showed that this team will be a force to be reckoned with. Texan fans rejoice!
Notes
- Impressive opening drive
- Shows trust in his line to keep him protected to make big plays.
Missed Opportunities
- Unable to score on the opening drive, despite going for it on 4th down
Case Keenum: 7/13, 73 Yards, TD
Scoring the lone passing touchdown for the Texans, Keenum showed promise as a capable backup if CJ Stroud were to ever miss any time. His chemistry with John Metchie III was apparent as this duo looked better than anything that the opposing Giants could attempt to muster up.
Notes
- Showed a solid connection with John Metchie III, giving him multiple looks in the 2nd quarter
- Scored the only passing touchdown for Houston
Missed Opportunities
- Intentional grounding penalty
Tim Boyle: 10/15, 94 Yards | 1 Carry, -1 Yards
3rd stringer who looked better than the Giant’s second-string QB. However, barring injury to two QBs, he won’t see the field this season. He saw the most playtime of the 3 quarterbacks, but likely because the Texans had control over this game.
Running Back
British Brooks: 5 Carries, 23 Yards, 2 TD
This undrafted free agent performed well above expectations, with both of his touchdowns being great plays in their own rights. He showed power and speed, which is a scary combination in the red zone.
Notes
- Powerful run for a touchdown
- Showed great speed for his second touchdown of the day
- Only 5 carries on the day, but scored on 2; great highlights on both touchdowns
Cam Akers: 6 Carries, 29 Yards
Coming off another devastating injury, Akers showed he still has some gas in the tank. Though his stat line wasn’t particularly stellar, it’s great to see that he still has a place in the NFL.
Notes
- Displayed a great recovery from his Achilles tear
Missed Opportunities
- Almost had a breakaway run, but was stopped
JJ Taylor: 5 Carries, 36 Yards | 2 Targets
Taylor accrued the most rushing yards on the day, half of which was attained on a nearly massive breakaway run. He also had 2 targets but wasn’t able to catch either.
Notes
- Great run with a burst of speed as he ran down the edge of the field for 18 yards
Missed Opportunities
- Just barely stepped out of bounds, negating what would’ve been a very long run
Jawhar Jordan: 8 Carries, 16 Yards | 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 42 Yards
This man saw the most carries of everyone in this backfield, but only produced 16 yards on 8 carries. Most of his production came through the air with 4 catches, while the next RB only had 1 target.
Notes
- Showed promise as both a runner and a pass catcher
- 15-yard catch, made a defender miss to get the 1st down
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Nico Collins: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 24 Yards
Collins was the #1 receiver on the 1st team offense, particularly in the first drive, which is no surprise as he got paid this offseason. His production was limited in this game as CJ Stroud spread out the ball, but he passed the eye test when running his routes. Nico nearly had a touchdown in the first drive, but the ball was caught out of bounds. He will be fun to watch as the main target on this high-powered offense.
Notes
- Excellent 24-yard catch
- Target in the red zone
Missed Opportunities
- Caught a potential TD pass, but was out of bounds in the end zone
Stefon Diggs: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 9 Yards | 1 Carry, 2 Yards
We know how talented of a receiver Diggs is, and we’ve all been wondering what his role will be on this offense with so many receiving threats. Unexpectedly, he showed potential as a gadget player as he earned a 1st down on his lone carry of the day.
Notes
- Utilized in the red zone
- Had a rushing opportunity, showing potential as a gadget player
Tank Dell: 1 Target
Yes, Tank only had the 1 target for 0 yards – not ideal, but the target did come in the red zone which is at least a high-value target. He also made an excellent catch on the second drive for 23 yards, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. Tank established himself as a deep-threat option on this offense and will have some exciting highlights to come this season.
Notes
- Made a great long catch that was called back by penalty; Not Tank’s fault
Dalton Schultz: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 39 Yards
Another scary weapon in the receiving game, Scultz showed to have earned the trust of CJ Stroud and has the potential to be a premium tight end – or, quite frankly, as a receiver in general.
Notes
- 3 for 39 in the 1st quarter, showing he is another powerful weapon in the Texan’s receiving arsenal
John Metchie III: 7 Targets, 6 Receptions, 68 Yards, TD
He was a major producer throughout this game with both Case Keenum and Tim Boyle at the helm, one of which was a touchdown. Metchie showed that he is fully recovered from injury, and is making a strong case to be the team’s WR4.