Texans’ Overtime Loss to Giants Exposes the Same Problems Houston Thought It Had Fixed

Just when the Houston Texans looked ready to turn an 0-4 start into something worth believing in, Sunday happened.

Houston fell 27-21 in overtime to the New York Giants at Reliant Stadium, snapping the Texans’ two-game winning streak and dropping them to 2-5 heading into their Week 8 bye. New York improved to 4-2-1. 

The frustrating part is not simply that Houston lost, but rather It is how they lost

Penalties returned. The offense struggled to sustain drives. The defense allowed 420 yards. And after C.J. Stroud delivered a late touchdown to force overtime, Houston immediately went three-and-out before New York ran right through the Texans to end it.

That is a tough way to enter the bye. The Texans and DeMeco Ryans have to take this break and figure out what truly is next to turn this season around.

One week after throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns against Jacksonville, Stroud finished Sunday 17-of-28 for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Houston managed only 237 total yards and averaged 4.4 yards per play.

That is not enough.

Stroud did produce when Houston desperately needed him. His 3-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Hutchinson with 57 seconds remaining tied the game at 21 after Ka’imi Fairbairn’s extra point. 

But overtime was a different story.

Woody Marks was stopped for no gain on first down. Stroud then threw consecutive incompletions, and Houston punted after possessing the football for less than a minute.

New York never gave it back.

This is where the game was ultimately lost. Cam Skattebo rushed 17 times for 124 yards and a touchdown, including a 42-yard run during the Giants’ overtime possession. 

Then former Texan Devin Singletary finished Houston with a 30-yard touchdown run. Two runs, seventy-two yards, game over.

Houston’s defense entered Sunday missing safeties Jalen Pitre and Reed Blankenship, but injuries cannot completely excuse allowing New York to finish with 420 yards of offense.

J.J. McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards without a turnover, while Malik Nabers caught seven passes for 111 yards.

Houston did not force a single takeaway. That is a difficult formula for winning.

The statistic that should drive DeMeco Ryans crazy this week is 10 penalties for 80 yards.

New York committed four and Houston committed 10.

For a team that entered Sunday trying to win its third consecutive game, that is sloppy football. The Texans are not currently good enough to consistently overcome self-inflicted mistakes. Few teams are.

Houston needs this bye week to clean up the details because the margin for error is becoming extremely small.

This one hurts because Houston had a real opportunity.

Beat New York and suddenly the Texans are 3-4 after starting 0-4. You enter the bye with three consecutive wins, Dell back on the field and the entire mood around this season changed.

Instead, Houston is 2-5. The Texans showed some fight. Stroud delivered a late touchdown. Dell finally returned. Harrison scored his first touchdown for Houston.

But good moments do not erase bad football. Ten penalties, 237 yards of offense and 420 yards allowed defensively will get you beat.

And when overtime arrived, the Giants ran the football straight through Houston to prove it. The Texans have a week off now.

Use it. Get healthier. Get Dell more comfortable. Find ways to get this loaded receiving corps involved. Fix the penalties and, most importantly, fix that run defense.

Because at 2-5, Houston is no longer talking about building momentum. The Texans are back to fighting for their season.