Giants QB Daniel Jones: A Dual-Threat Weapon vs. Texans?

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones might be one of the last people the Houston Texans want to see headed into Sunday.

Some of the NFL's best dual-threat quarterbacks remain some of its biggest names: Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Kyler Murray have all electrified the game with the ability to create something out of nothing with their legs.

But New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, hardly a sexy or household name among casual viewers of the sport, has yet to jump into this top-tier dual-threat conversation. However, as he's helped lead the Giants to a 6-2 record heading into Sunday's matchup with the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium, he's done so on the back of some impressive -- and maybe surprising -- individual rushing performances.

Safe to say Texans coach Lovie Smith has taken notice.

"First off, he's a lot better athlete than he's given credit for," Smith said Monday. "Everybody assumes he's just a stand-in-the-pocket thrower. Yeah, he can make all the throws, but I think he's been really effective when he's gotten out on the perimeter."

Jones is fourth among quarterbacks this season with 363 rushing yards and is ninth in yards per rush (5.7) among players with more than 10 carries. He's even coming off a 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 23 that saw him rush 11 times for 107 yards and one touchdown.

But even more impressive? Out of 28 quarterbacks that have suited up this season, all have fumbled (lost or recovered) at least once. Jones, despite his rushing prowess, is not one of them, as the ball has yet to be freed from his grasp even in a run-heavy offense.

It certainly helps to have an elite running back like Saquon Barkley alongside him in the backfield, who is currently third in the league in rushing yards (779) and second in attempts (163).

This has allowed the Giants to be sneaky with how they use Jones, something Smith is aware of headed into Sunday.

"(They) do a great job with (bootlegs)," Smith said. "Their coaches have done a great job with designing some plays to kinda take advantage of his talents."

The Texans are allowing the most rushing yards per game (180.6) this season, and it really isn't close. The next closest team is the Detroit Lions, who are second in average rush yards allowed (148.8) despite allowing over 30 yards less than Houston.

With a one-two rushing punch like Barkley and Jones to deal with, the Texans could be in for a style of play that has been their biggest nightmare this season.

Houston and New York kickoff at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday from MetLife Stadium.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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