As far as preseason games go, this one in Houston for the New York Giants should be the closest to the real thing they have this summer.
Daniel Jones will suit up and take the field inside NRG Stadium for the first time on game day since he tore his ACL nine months ago in Las Vegas. He should have all but one of the five offensive linemen set to protect him Week 1 against the Vikings, and his top four wide receivers - Malik Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt and Darius Slayton - should all play.
So yes, despite an ankle injury that kept him out of practice earlier this week, Nabers is expected to play.
On the defensive side of the ball, this should be our first chance to see the defensive front of Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux together in uniform and in game action. The trio was held out of the preseason opener against the Lions.
Expect the entire first-team defense to get at least a quarter and maybe longer to test itself against 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud and an explosive Texans' passing game with newcomer Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Nico Collins. A new-look Giants secondary with Tae Banks and Nick McCloud expected at cornerback will be challenged.
Left guard Jon Runyan (shoulder) will likely be the only projected starter on offense out of the lineup, and he's believed to be close to a return.
Daniel Jones made one really bad decision and a couple bad throws.
He also played in his first game since the first week of November, and probably shouldn't be slammed and laughed at the way he's going to be, and already is on social media. Both things can be true.
No excuses. Jones needs to play better. But there is context. Just keep the context in perspective.
Jones finished the first half completing 11-of-18 passes for 138 yards, including a beautiful drop-in-bucket deep completion to Darius Slayton against the Texans' reserves.
About the worst decision Daniel Jones could have made and the snowball is now rolling in the opposite direction.
Jones had good protection in the shadow of the Giants' own end zone after a Dexter Lawrence knockdown of a C.J. Stroud pass forced a turnover on downs. He held the ball too long, and when a Texans' defender broke free and charged at Jones in the end zone, Jones forced a throw to rookie tight end Theo Johnson.
Houston safety Jalen Pitre read the play the entire way and walked in with a Pick 6 interception.
Keep up with our live updates from Giants-Texans throughout the day here.
I have seen the word "unsettled" used to describe the state of the Giants' offensive line, and I'm not sure the negative connotation that comes with that is well-placed in this case.
Since the eve of training camp in late July, when the Giants officially decided to place Evan Neal on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, this plan was set in motion. Forget about the spring: Jermaine Eluemunor was moved to right tackle, where he played all of last season, and he's been there ever since. Neal's season is now about getting healthy and seeing if he can get to a point where he can contribute as the next tackle up.
The Giants also met with veteran Greg Van Roten two days before camp began, and when he left, team brass figured Van Roten would be a Giant. They had to work through contract details, but also, there was a desire to make sure Aaron Stinnie - who had been with the team throughout the offseason - had the chance to work in the early part of camp with the starters. When Van Roten signed, the Giants knew he needed to ramp up to game speed (and physical readiness).
At the same time, John Michael Schmitz tweaked his shoulder in practice, and the smart move was to not put him out there until he treated the injury and got back to full strength. So Van Roten stepped in at center, knowing that he'd eventually shift to right guard when JMS returned to the lineup. The shift wasn't an issue for GVR, considering he played for the same offensive line coach (Carmen Bricillo) and next to the same RT (Eluemunor) in Las Vegas last year.
We've mentioned all of this without acknowledgement that Andrew Thomas has been at left tackle the entire summer, taking every first team rep in practice.
Now that Jon Runyan is nursing a shoulder issue, the Giants pulled back on his workload and have both Stinnie and Van Roten at the guards with JMS in the middle. This isn't the kind of drastic change that, in years past, would wreck the Giants' plans.
That's why Saturday's preseason game is so intriguing for the group up front. They're going to get a chance to show how far they've come through practice, joint practices and now the games. And Runyan could be back as soon as this week.
When the season begins, the Giants are going to want this configuration: Thomas-Runyan-JMS-GVR-Eluemunor with Stinnie as the top guard reserve and Neal as the swing tackle. Maybe old friend Tyre Phillips re-signs to offer reinforcement. Rookie Jake Kubas may be a developmental prospect, but he would be the fourth option on the interior.
Nobody knows for certain if the Giants have fixed their offensive line. We won't start getting those answers until Week 1, and even then, it's going to be a process. The plan this year seems a lot sounder than last year, and it's because of last year's experience, and that's why it might not be as unsettled as it may look.
Welcome to Houston, Stefon Diggs. Let's hope Saturday's outing was the start of something promising.
Diggs, the star acquisition for the Texans' offense, hauled in a 9-yard pass from C.J. Stroud for a first down en route to a 28-10 win over the New York Giants at NRG Stadium.
Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler during his time with the Buffalo Bills, only recorded one catch, but it was enough to push Houston into New York territory.
A strong performance in H-Town 💪 pic.twitter.com/cGXP1EKLH3
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 17, 2024
Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley Jr. each recorded an interception against Daniel Jones, with the former scoring on a 6-yard return. Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers finished with four catches on six targets for 54 yards, including a pick-up of 21 yards.
Here's the instant analysis of Friday night's action at NRG Stadium.
Starters saw a bit more action than last week and Stroud took advantage of his openings. He connected with Nico Collins for a 24-yard gain. He found Dalton Schultz three times for 39 yards, including a long of 26.
But John Metchie III was the star of Saturday's game once the second quarter started. On a day when receivers needed to shine, he stepped up in the race for a final roster spot.
Metchie, a former second-round pick, caught three passes for 37 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to break a 7-7 tie. Coming out of halftime, he hauled in a 19-yard gain to set up British Brooks for a 6-yard touchdown run.
LET’S GO 8️⃣ 📺: ABC13 pic.twitter.com/yqzwt8KJMi
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 17, 2024
Metchie finished with a team-high six catches off seven targets for 68 yards and a score.
Cam Akers, another former second-round pick trying to make the roster, looked comfortable coming off a pair of his Achilles tendons, rushing for 29 yards on six attempts.
There's a chance Akers could win the RB2 job if Dameon Pierce continues to struggle. Plenty of people have blamed the former fourth-round pick for his inefficiency entering Year 3, but he's also working behind an average offensive line. Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil didn't play and running lanes have been minimal at best.
Car stopped, rims keep spinnin' 🤘📺: ABC13 pic.twitter.com/Y0GaMAhbTh
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 17, 2024
It's getting hard to defend Pierce when Akers, Jawhar Jordan and Dare Ogunbowale continue to find success. Granted, they're primarily facing backups while Pierce is running with the ones, but DeMeco Ryans might eventually turn to the 2020 second-round pick in place of Joe Mixon.
Stroud finished the day 7-of-10 passing for 88 yards. If he's done for the preseason, he'll finish 9-of-14 for 129 yards and a touchdown.
Brooks, a bubble player, finished with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Last week, the Texans' pass rush set the tone early. This week, the secondary had a chance to feast.
Stingley nearly picked off Jones on the first play of the game but could close the gap on the pass intended for Nabers. Jones, who finished 2-of-4 for 20 yards, tried to evade a Derek Barnett sack for a safety, but he overthrew Theo Johnson right to Pitre for the easy score.
While the Texans didn't record a sack, they were credited with three tackles for loss and eight pressures. They also finished with five turnovers, including three in the fourth quarter.
Linebacker Max Tooley jarred a ball loose, which was recovered by Lonnie Johnson Jr. Brooks scored on a 2-yard run four plays later.
Can't stop, won't stop 🔥Our ball again ‼️ pic.twitter.com/tAzzvUSyyY
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 17, 2024
On the ensuing drive, Neville Hewitt forced a fumble on Giants running back Lorenzo Lingard, giving Houston the ball at New York's 27-yard line. Five plays later, the Texans extended their lead to 18.
Tooley, an undrafted free agent from BYU, continues to step on gameday and may find a spot on the active roster after finishing with a team-high five tackles. Stingley, who picked off five passes last season, finished with three pass deflections, including two against Nabers.
Please don't start popping the champagne or calling Houston "Kansas City's kryptonite," but the Texans are ahead of schedule from last season. Stroud threw some nice passes for fist-down gains. Backups showed that if called upon for a game, they could deliver.
Next week is essential for those on the bubble to impress. It feels like there's a clear separation between the leader of the pack and those trying to guarantee their status as safe.
The Texans will practice on Monday in preparation for their joint practice with the Rams on Wednesday. Kickoff next Saturday is scheduled for noon CT.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Instant analysis of Texans' 28-10 preseason win vs. Giants
