AT A GLANCE

The New York Giants, who faced their share of adversity in the first half of the season, will enter the bye week on a high note thanks to a 27-21 overtime victory over Houston Texans. Devin Singletary scored the game-winning touchdown on a 30-yard run with 7:25 left in the extra period.

For the second time in three weeks, regulation was not enough to decide the Giants' fate on a Sunday. They previously tied Washington 27-27 on the road in Week 5.

The Texans received the opening kickoff of overtime and were forced to punt. Cam Skattebo, as part of a career-high 124-yard performance after having zero touches the week before, broke a 42-yard run on the play before Singletary has the longest walk-off touchdown run by a Giant in overtime.

With J.J. McCarthy becoming their third different starting quarterback, the Giants improved to 4-2-1 heading into the break. The Texans dropped to 2-5 after winning their previous two games.

UP NEXT

Regardless of Sunday's outcome, the Giants were guaranteed to head into their Week 8 bye with the NFC East lead. The Cowboys (2-4) play the Eagles (2-4) on Monday night, while the Commanders (1-4-1) are idle. The Giants return to action with back-to-back divisional games, starting with a trip to Philadelphia in Week 9. They will then host Washington on Thursday Night Football.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

J.J. McCarthy became the Giants' third starting quarterback of the season. Jameis Winston, who started four consecutive games in the wake of Jaxson Dart's knee injury, served as the backup. Jake Haener was the emergency third quarterback.

Traded from the Vikings less than a month ago for a 2027 fifth-round pick, McCarthy completed his first five passes for 96 yards, including a 42-yarder to Malik Nabers. On the next play, Tyrone Tracy Jr. ran in a two-yard touchdown for his third score in two games. It was the Giants' first opening-drive touchdown since Week 1.

The 42-yard catch on the opening drive was Nabers' fifth career catch of 40+ yards, including the second from McCarthy in just two quarters together. Including 243 yards in the fourth quarter of last week's game, McCarthy's 339 pass yards are the most by any Giants quarterback in a two-quarter span since at least 1991.

McCarthy also had a 47-yard pass to Malachi Fields, the rookie wide receiver's second reception of 40+ yards this season. Fields, a third-round pick, finished with four catches for 83 yards – both the highest totals of his young career.

McCarthy had five 20-yard completions today, tying his career high in a single game along with last week against the Saints. Overall, McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards with a 99.1 passer rating.

McCarthy claimed his first victory as the Giants' starting quarterback at Reliant Stadium, where he won the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship with Michigan.

Nabers became the second player in Giants history with four consecutive 100-yard receiving games. Odell Beckham Jr. had two such stretches in 2014 and 2015.

Cam Skattebo didn't touch the ball a week ago while playing just six snaps. On Sunday, the Giants handed him the ball on their first two plays from scrimmage. Najee Harris, who started last week against the Saints, was released on Tuesday.

Skattebo finished with 17 carries for a career-high 124 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown to give the Giants a 21-14 lead with 8:55 left in the game. His 42-yard rush was the longest by a Giants player in overtime since Derrick Ward had a 51-yard carry vs. Carolina in 2008.

For the fifth time ever and first since 1950, four Giants had a rushing touchdown in a game.

Tracy suffered a hamstring injury with 5:10 left in the second quarter.

Despite being the backup, Winston played an important role in short-yardage situations. The 6-foot-4, 231-pound former No. 1 overall draft pick appeared for four quarterback sneaks, including a touchdown to give the Giants a 14-6 lead late in the first half. It was set up by a 29-yard catch from second-year tight end Thomas Fidone II, the first reception of his career. It was Winston's 14th career rushing touchdown and the sixth from one yard. The Giants had four rushing touchdowns today after totaling just two in the first six games combined. Winston came in for another play late in the third quarter, but instead of sneaking it, he handed off to Skattebo for a 19-yard gain and a first down.

Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor returned to the starting lineup after missing one game with a calf injury. His replacement, Marcus Mbow, was inactive with a knee injury.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE

The defense played without three more starters on Sunday: safety Jevón Holland (concussion), cornerback Greg Newsome II (concussion) and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (shoulder). They did, however, get back safety Tyler Nubin and cornerback Paulson Adebo, who had not played since Week 1 with a knee issue.

Edmunds was placed on injured reserve, which led to Micah McFadden's first start since he suffered a season-ending foot injury in the 2025 opener. McFadden racked up 10 total tackles, including eight solo and two for losses.

With five more on Sunday, linebacker Arvell Reese became the first Giants rookie to record 50 tackles in his first seven career games since it became an official statistic in 1994.

The Texans tied the game just before halftime on a six-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., plus a successful two-point conversion to tight end Cade Stover. Harrison also caught a touchdown against the Giants in Week 4 while a member of the Cardinals. Before Sunday, running back Herschel Walker was the only player ever to score against the Giants with two different teams in the same season. He did so during the 1989 season with Dallas in Week 4 and with Minnesota in Week 8 (both were receiving touchdowns). It has been done only 12 times in NFL history, including postseason.

The Giants held the Texans to just two third-down conversions on their first 10 attempts. On their 11^th, however, Stroud tied the game with a three-yard touchdown to Xavier Hutchinson on third-and-goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

Houston was held to just 84 rushing yards on 25 carries. In their previous two games, the Giants allowed 377 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

The Giants won the time of possession 35:50-26:45, including overtime.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS

Dominic Zvada missed a 56-yard attempt wide right late in the first quarter with the Giants leading 7-3 at the time. Zvada made from the same distance in Week 5 at Washington, which tied Ali Haji-Sheikh's 1983 record for the longest made field goal by a rookie in Giants history. Zvada had another attempt to regain the lead as time expired in the first half, this time from 46 yards, but missed it again wide right.

IN-GAME INJURY REPORT

NYG: RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hamstring)

HOU: WR Jaylin Noel (toe)

INACTIVES

NYG: OL Josh Sills, TE Theo Johnson (neck), OL Marcus Mbow (knee), CB Greg Newsome II (concussion), CB Nikko Reed, S Jevón Holland (concussion), QB Jake Haener (3^rd QB)

HOU: T Blake Fisher (thumb), G Febechi Nwaiwu, T Nathan Thomas, TE Marlin Klein, RB David Montgomery (groin), S Jalen Pitre (shoulder), S Reed Blankenship (concussion/hand)

ROSTER MOVES

NYG: CB Paulson Adebo (activated from reserve/injured), LB Tremaine Edmunds (reserve/injured), WR Jalin Hyatt (elevated from practice squad), S Raheem Layne (elevated from practice squad), RB Najee Harris (released), OLB Jihad Ward (released), WR Jason Brownlee (practice squad addition), OL Josh Sills (free agent signing from Colts practice squad)

HOU: WR Tank Dell (activated from reserve/injured), CB Bryce Hall (elevated from practice squad), LB Kenneth Murray (elevated from practice squad)

GIANTS GAMEDAY CAPTAINS

Week 7 at HOU: DL DJ Reader, C Bryan Hudson, LB Malik Harrison

Week 6 vs. NO: QB Jameis Winston, WR Malik Nabers, CB Dru Phillips

Week 5 at WAS: LB Tremaine Edmunds, CB Nic Jones, CB Deonte Banks

Week 4 vs. ARI: DL D.J. Reader, RT Jermaine Eluemunor, LB Micah McFadden, RB Cam Skattebo

Week 3 vs. TEN: S Jevón Holland, FB Patrick Ricard, LB Zaire Barnes

Week 2 at LAR: OLB Abdul Carter, OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, QB Jaxson Dart, S Elijah Campbell

Week 1 vs. DAL: OLB Brian Burns, DL Chauncey Golston, P Jordan Stout, OT Andrew Thomas

Preseason 3 at NYJ: LG Jon Runyan, S Tyler Nubin, LB Zaire Barnes

Preseason 2 at MIA: QB Jameis Winston, LB Micah McFadden, CB Greg Newsome II

Preseason 1 vs. MIN: QB Jaxson Dart, P Jordan Stout, OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux