Five Turnovers Sink Giants in 28-10 Preseason Loss to Houston

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones threw two INTs, including a pick-6, in his first live-action since tearing his ACL.

Aug 17, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) scrambles 16 yards and slides against Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) in the first quarter at NRG Stadium. / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants fell 28-10 to the Houston Texans in preseason Week 2 action, largely due to five turnovers, including two interceptions thrown by starting quarterback Daniel Jones in the first quarter of the game, one of which was a pick-six. 

To his credit, Jones recovered well enough to post a respectable box score, completing 11-of-18 passes for 138 yards on five drives. New York (1-1) posted 132 yards and 10 points on the last two treks. 

The first saw Jones find Darius Slayton for 44 of the 68 yards generated, and the last was a scoring punch-in for Devin Singletary, who tied the game at seven apiece.

Jones' doubters, however, surely note that a bulk of his success came against Houston's understudies, as the Texans (2-1) pulled their primary men after the first three Giant possessions, which saw them let up only 43 yards on a dozen plays. The latter produced Houston's first points of the afternoon.

Situated at their own six after the Giants defense stopped Houston's high-octane offense in the red zone of fourth down (as Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux successfully harassed CJ Stroud), Jones flung a desperation heave that landed in the arms of Jalen Pitre, who took the short way back for six.

Partly energized by Jones' unofficial first hook-up with receiver Malik Nabers (earning 14 yards), the Giants got into Houston territory on the next drive, but a Jones deep-ball intended for Jaylin Hyatt was intercepted by cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., further deflating the Giants mood.

New York did enjoy some positives on the defensive end, which stay mostly clean against Houston's top men. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 7-of-10 passes for 88 yards on two drives, but that couple ended with a punt and the aforementioned turnover on downs on the first possession against the top Giant men.

Undrafted rookie running back British Brooks put the game away with two fourth-quarter rushing scores while quarterback Case Keenum found receiver John Metchie from three yards away to give Houston a permanent lead in the second.

In the second half of the game, the Giants, then quarterbacked by Tommy DeVito, outscored 14-0, with both Texans scores coming in the fourth quarter within six minutes to go in regulation. The Texans also outgained the Giants in yardage (369 to 279). The Texans also won the time of possession battle, 34:30 to 25:30

The Giants close out their 2024 preseason slate next Saturday when they face the New York Jets as the road team at MetLife Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, WCBS/NFL Network).

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