New York Looks To Avoid Their Third Straight Loss When They Visit Houston
After starting the season 0-2 under new head coach Pat Shurmur with their most recent loss coming to their NFC East rival Dallas a week ago the New York Giants will return to Texas to take on the Houston Texans on Sunday looking to avoid a third straight loss to begin the season while Houston will look to do the same.
New York comes into the game 0-2 and is last in the NFC East while Houston who is a member of the AFC South also comes into the game 0-2 and are also last in their division. “according to http://www.espn.com/nfl/standings
As for the New York Giants previous game they’re coming off a loss on the road to the Dallas Cowboys.
With both teams looking to avoid the 0-2 start, the Dallas Cowboys came out faster than the New York Giants and scored a long touchdown on the third play of the game. They never relinquished the lead for the remainder of the game as the Giants fell 20-13 on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
The Giants allowed six sacks, their most since giving up eight on the road against another division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Oct. 12, 2014. On the fifth, Eli Manning was hit by Damien Wilson and lost the ball. Taco Charlton recovered it, and the Cowboys kicked a field goal on the ensuing possession. Complicating matters, center Jon Halapio had to be carted off late in the third quarter with a lower leg injury and was replaced by John Greco. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*After not throwing the ball to rookie running back Saquon Barkley in the first half of the season opener, the Giants made it a point to target the second overall pick early and often in Week 2. Barkley caught three passes on the opening drive, eight in the first half, and a franchise record 14 overall for 80 yards. Manning completed 33 of 43 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown – an 18-yarder to tight end Evan Engram that cut the deficit to 10 points with less than two minutes to go in the game. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*The Giants added a wrinkle to Sunday’s game plan – the quarterback sneak. Manning, who had not attempted one since 2010, converted two on the same drive on fourth-and-short. The downside? He was the Giants’ leading rusher until nearly the two-minute warning in the first half. The Giants finished with just 35 yards on 17 carries. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*Odell Beckham Jr., who had 11 catches for 111 yards in Week 1, was kept in check by Dallas on Sunday night. The three-time Pro Bowler, who just last week set the record for most catches in a player’s first 50 games, was held to four receptions for 51 yards. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*The Giants added a wrinkle to Sunday’s game plan – the quarterback sneak. Manning, who had not attempted one since 2010, converted two on the same drive on fourth-and-short. The downside? He was the Giants’ leading rusher until nearly the two-minute warning in the first half. The Giants finished with just 35 yards on 17 carries. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*Odell Beckham Jr., who had 11 catches for 111 yards in Week 1, was kept in check by Dallas on Sunday night. The three-time Pro Bowler, who just last week set the record for most catches in a player’s first 50 games, was held to four receptions for 51 yards. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE:
*Similar to the Giants, the Cowboys lost their first game of the season and stressed the importance of starting fast in Week 2. Dallas held up its end as Dak Prescott found Tavon Austin for a 64-yard touchdown on the third play of the game. Cornerback Janoris Jenkins stumbled a bit on the play, and once Austin gets a step on a defender, he makes defenders pay. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*As they are known to do, the Cowboys used a long, methodical drive to eat the clock and break the game open late in the fourth quarter. Prescott led a 14-play, 82-yard scoring drive capped by a six-yard touchdown run by Ezekiel Elliott with 5:45 remaining in the game. The Giants have now allowed 137 and 138 rushing yards in the first two games of the season. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*Third-year cornerback Eli Apple, who was on his way to a second solid showing to start the year, left in the second half with a groin injury. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS:
*Aldrick Rosas put the Giants on the board for the first time with a 28-yard field goal with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter and later made a 38-yarder with the game all but out of reach. He converted all three of his field goal attempts last week after a perfect preseason. Punter Riley Dixon had three downed inside the 20 in addition to one touchback. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
*Looking for a spark, the Giants put Beckham back to return a punt late in the third quarter with the team trailing by 10. Special teams co-captain Michael Thomas recovered an onside kick attempt with 1:25 remaining in the game and a 10-point deficit. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
INACTIVES: NYG -- OLB Olivier Vernon (ankle), ILB Tae Davis (hamstring), QB Kyle Lauletta, S Kamrin Moore, CB Michael Jordan, OL Evan Brown, OL Spencer Pulley. DAL – C Travis Frederick (illness), DT Datone Jones (knee), S Xavier Woods (hamstring), DE Randy Gregory (concussion), QB Mike White, G Xavier Su’a-Filo, TE Dalton Schultz. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
LINEUP CHANGES: NYG -- Connor Barwin for Vernon at WILL. DAL – Joe Looney for Frederick at C; Kavon Frazier for Woods at FS; Maliek Collins for Jones at DT. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
INJURY REPORT: CB Eli Apple (groin), C Jon Halapio (lower leg), OLB Kareem Martin (ankle, returned), WR/PR Kaelin Clay (ankle, returned) “according to https://www.giants.com/news/instant-analysis-giants-can-t-overcome-cowboys-fast-start
As for Houston’s previous game, Like the New York Giants they lost their previous game as they lost to Tennessee.
The Texans fell to 0-2 after two games on the road, but Sunday’s loss to the division rival Tennessee Titans stung. Time expired as Deshaun Watson found DeAndre Hopkins for a first down, Houston was unable to kick a game-tying field goal at Tennessee and lost 20-17. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
“We tried to take a shot, we didn’t have any timeouts,” Watson said. “They were guarding the sideline very well. My instincts took over, tried to get the ball (out). Time ran out." “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
Houston fell into an early 14-0 hole after a Titans fake punt returned for a touchdown and a number of wildcat formations that seemingly neutralized the Texans pass rush. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
However, both offense and defense began clicking as the Texans scored 17 unanswered points of their own. The Texans offense gained 437 total net yards (148 rushing and 289 passing), the most total net yards gained in a game for Houston since Week 8 against Seattle last year (509 yards). Both DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller V had over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown each. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
The Texans defense forced four consecutive three-and-out drives for the Titans final drive of the first half through the third quarter. In fact, the Texans outgained the Titans 107-8 in total net yards in the third quarter. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
“Guys just buying into it, and just taking it one play at a time,” Johnathan Joseph said. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
The Titans two field goal drives in the fourth quarter would prove costly, including the final one that lasted 5:41 and gave the Texans the ball back with just one minute remaining.”according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
Obviously we had the one drive in the first half where they went wild cat and we gave up too much,” J.J. Watt said. “The last drive at the end for them to get the field goal. We can’t give up those two drives.” “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
In his second game back from last year's season-ending ACL surgery, Watson completed 22-of-32 for 310 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 107.6. He also rushed five times for 44 yards. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
“We’re fine," Watson said. "I mean, if you’re one of the guys or one of the people, one of the fans hitting the panic button, then that’s on you. Don’t hop on the train later on in the season. No point in panicking. I know I’m not going to panic, especially where I came from in my childhood so it comes with it. I’ve taken losses before. Take it under the chin and try to get better from it.” “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
So where do the Texans go from here? “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
They will correct their mistakes and move forward, much like they did in 2015 after a tumultuous 0-2 start that ended in an AFC South championship. “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
“We’ve got to keep fighting,” head coach Bill O’Brien said. “It’s a long season.” “according to https://www.houstontexans.com/news/the-texans-drop-to-0-2-but-not-ready-to-panic
Kick-Off is set for 1:00pm from NRG Stadium. The game will be televised on Fox. “according to https://www.giants.com/schedule/