Skattebo, Ground Game Carry Giants Past Texans 27-21
The New York Giants ran their way to a 27-21 road win over Houston on Sunday, leaning on a punishing ground attack that Houston simply couldn't stop. Cam Skattebo carried 17 times for 124 yards and a touchdown, and that workload tells you everything about how New York wanted to play this game.
Skattebo was the engine, but this was a full committee effort on the ground. Devin Singletary added 5 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown of his own, giving the Giants two backs who consistently moved the chains and kept C.J. Stroud and the Houston offense watching from the sideline. J.J. McCarthy was efficient without being flashy — 20 of 28 for 252 yards and no turnovers — and Malik Nabers gave him a legitimate target all afternoon, hauling in 7 receptions for 111 yards. McCarthy didn't throw a touchdown, but he didn't need to. New York's two rushing scores did the damage, and the offense never beat itself.
Houston's offense had its moments. Stroud finished 17 of 28 for 153 yards and two touchdowns, keeping the Texans in striking distance throughout. Xavier Hutchinson contributed a touchdown reception on 3 catches for 17 yards, and Stroud's 4 rushing yards on two carries showed he was willing to extend plays. But 153 passing yards isn't enough to win a game when your opponent is controlling the clock with a physical run game. The Texans were reactive all afternoon, and that looks like the story of this loss — Houston was never able to dictate terms.
The final score of 27-21 flatters Houston a bit. New York's six-point margin appears to understate how thoroughly the Giants controlled the pace of this game. Skattebo's 124 yards on the ground, combined with Singletary's 41, gave the Giants 165 rushing yards as a team — that kind of production doesn't happen unless an offensive line is winning at the point of attack. For the Giants, this looks like a statement about what their identity is: physical, methodical, and capable of winning on the road against a legitimate opponent. For Houston, the questions will center on whether a defense that allowed that kind of ground output can tighten up going forward.