Official Texans @ Giants Game Thread, 9/21/2014
 

The Texans are traveling up to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ to take on the Giants this Sunday in an early game. The 2-0 Texans have been doing a good job so far of avoiding the "big errors". Will this continue?

The 0-2 NY Giants have a streak dating back to last year of 5 straight games with 4+ turnovers. Last year the Giants started the season 0-6. Does Tom Coughlin have any hair left on his head? Will the Texans avoid looking like the doofusses (doofi?) this time and make the Giants look like a well-oiled machine?

Texans rated #14 this week in the ESPN power rankings - up from #22 last week. Giants rated #30, previously #26.

TV = CBS (channel 11 local), Sunday, Sept 21, noon CST

Announcers = Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

The line: Texans by 1 to 2.5

If you get a chance, look at BOB's presser from earlier this week regarding this being a "Trap" game. Pretty funny stuff.

This is incorrect. I got it from the comment next to the Giants in the power rankings linked above. I checked into it and it's wrong.

If you can trust the ESPN stats, more correct statements would be:

1. The Giants have had at least 2 turnovers/gm for the last six games.

2. The Giants have averaged 3.17 turnovers/gm for the last six games.

3. The Giants had 4 turnovers last week and 2 turnovers in Week 1. The last four games of 2013, the Giants had 3, 2, 5 and 3 turnovers in those games.

This is an interesting matchup because we really don't know yet who the Texans are and we really don't know who the Giants are. I got to watch some of the Giants-Cardinals game last Sunday but was not all that impressed. IMO, the key will be pressuring Eli Manning into mistakes. He has the weapons to make it a long day for Houston if he's not being harrassed. However, the Giants' OL was terrible last year and does not seem much improved this year. It could have made for a nice "statement" game for Clowney but, alas, he won't be involved. If we see a lot of Reed and Mercilus in the backfield, that's a good sign.

Offensively, the Texans will continue to showcase Arian Foster running the ball to set up Fitzpatrick's short throws to Johnson and Hopkins. In the first two games, Houston achieved great balance between run and pass. New York's defense ought to be better than Washington's and Oakland's so that strategy will be put to the test. If Foster gets off to a fast start, the flow of the game will favor Houston. If we see a lot of Shane Lechler, that's a bad sign.

Historically, the Texans are terrible when playing in the Northeast. Were it in Houston, I'd like the Texans but, on the road, I think the Giants will prevail late on a bad call or a fluky play. Say, 17-16.

What weapons do you think Eli has? Victor Cruz is the only skill guy on the roster who could start for a decent team. The rest of their WR core is totally unproven and average, their TEs are no-names (even though Donnell has at least caught it the last 2 weeks), and they can't run the ball (the starter is Jennings, the former Jags and Raiders backup). This is not a team with weapons.

I also don't think New York's D is better than Washington's. Washington held us to 10 on offense and then held JAX to 1o points and under 150 yards while recording 10 sacks. Meanwhile NY got beat by Drew Stanton who hadn't thrown a pass since 2011.

This Giants team is terrible. We can definitely lose this game, but if we do it will be all about our issues, not because NY is better than the teams we've faced.

I see the texans winning, and winning big.
I expect AJ to finally find the end zone.
I expect the defense to look even better than they have.

28-14

The sharps are pounding the Giants. The Giants are now the favorite by 1 to 2 points.

Likely due to Foster being inactive.

I guess not to worry, but Arian Foster out with a tweaked ham string.

See how it affects the play calling.

I'm thinking Texas 24-13, perhaps.

Inactives for both teams:

HOUSTON
RB Arian Foster
QB Tom Savage
NT Louis Nix III
WR DeVier Posey
OLB Jadeveon Clowney
FS Shiloh Keo
T Jeff Adams

NEW YORK
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
LB Jon Beason
LB Devon Kennard
T Charles Brown
DE Kerry Wynn
T James Brewer
DT Jay Bromley

He wasn't inactive when I posted that at 2:21 am. :) No, I think they like the QB better and the desperation of NY..... It's interesting that the public likes the Texans but the big money is coming in on the Giants....

It would be a feather in the Texans cap if they can pull off the win anyway... ;)

Texans win the toss and defer, Giants receiving the kickoff.....

Ball is downed in the end zone, touchback. Giants ball at their 20.

One reason the sharps are sharps is because they have ways of finding this stuff out before it hits the public.

Pass to Randle gets 4. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Jennings for 5. Brings up 3rd and 1.

Jennings for about 4 more and the 1st down.

Jennings for 2. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Sack by Watt! Loss of 8. Brings up 3rd and 16.

Jennings gets about 7 yards back but the Giants have to punt.

Punt goes out of bounds inside the Texan 20. Texan's ball.

Yep. And they're not always right, either. They are sharp because they always do better than Joe Public.

nice sack by MegaWatt , and then nice run by Bleu.

Blue for about 11.

Blue for 2.

Fitz's pass is batted down at the LOS. 3rd and 8 coming up.

Pass to AJ gets 7. Texans will punt on 4th and 1.

Fake! Lechler passes to Blue for the 1st down at midfield.

Blue for 9.

Flags presnap. Offsides on Fido -5. Brings up 2nd and 6.

Fitz scrambles for a couple but holding on Brooks brings it back. 2nd and 16 coming up.

Grimes for 5. 3rd and 11 coming up.

Fitz's pass is a wounded duck and is INT'ed by the Giants. Giant's ball at their 36. 7:31 left in the 1st qtr.

Jennings for 9.

Pass to Randle goes for about 8.

Jennings for 3 and the 1st down.

Pass to Donnell gets 5.

Pass to Randle gets 5 and the 1st down.

Pass to Randle goes for 9. 2nd and 1 coming up.

Jennings up the gut for 8.

Jennings for 3. Ball at the Texan 10. 2nd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Donnell was caught and then fumbled! JJo picks it up and brings it back to about the Texan 27. Texan's ball. JJo injured on the play.

Amazing, Kendrick Lewis causes fumble on 4 yd line and Joseph runs it out to 25 or so. Before that Giants drive looked pretty good.

Fitz needs to be careful, Giants getting their hands on a lot of passes right now.

Fitz's pass to AJ is tipped, inc., nearly INT'ed.

Blue works for 4 yards. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Fitz pressured, scrambles for 5, short of the 1st down. Texans to punt on 4th and 1.

Punt goes into the end zone, touchback. Giant's ball at their 20.

Williams for 4. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Pass to Cruz goes for big gainer. 81 yards. Morris tracks him down at the Texan 15. (Wow, good speed by Morris - I didn't know he was that fast)

Williams for no gain. 2nd and 10 coming up.

End of the 1st qtr.