Daniel Jones returns to game action

HOUSTON – Its quarterback played in his first game after a long absence and connected with two of his top receivers. But football is a results business, even when games don’t count in the standings, so Brian Daboll had other issues on his mind as he sat through a 28-10 preseason loss to the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Later spoke to the media. .

“It’s hard to win a game when you turn the ball over five times, to begin with,” Daboll said.

The two issues are not entirely separate. Playing in his first game since tearing his ACL last Nov. 5, Daniel Jones was tagged with two turnovers, leading to interceptions on the Giants’ second and third offensive possessions. The first was an ill-advised pass that Jalen Petre returned five yards for a touchdown. The second was a throw to Jalen Hyatt that Derrick Stingley, Jr. picked off at the one-yard line with 2:32 left in the first quarter.

“A little shaky to start with,” Jones said. “Obviously, the first quarter didn’t go the way we wanted.”

But Jones’ return was still the most important Giants development of the game. Especially since he completed four passes for a team-high 54 yards to Malik Nabris, the first catch for the sensational first-round draft pick, who showed off his athleticism on an acrobatic 21-yard reception. Jones and Darius Slayton connected for a 44-yard pass that set up the Giants’ only touchdown and completed a successful two-minute drive.

Jones, Slayton and Dexter Lawrence are members of the 2019 draft class and are the longest tenured Giants.

It was great, like old times, like no time had passed,” said Slayton, who caught three passes for 59 yards. “Obviously, I love getting him back out there and hopefully he’s healthy. It will be good, and we will have plenty. Fun this year.”

Jones didn’t play in last week’s preseason opener and Nabers didn’t catch a pass, but Saturday it looked like they’ve played together for years.

“We’re on the same page,” Nabers said. “The chemistry is there. There are still a lot of things to clean up, but the chemistry is there on the field.”

Jones played every one of the Giants’ first half snaps, including 30 snaps. They were split evenly, with Jones under center and in the shotgun for 15 snaps. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 138 yards, gained 12 yards on his only rushing attempt and was not sacked.

“One of the plans was to call some play-actions, throw a bunch of deep balls today, just to see how our line goes (and) let it go back,” Daboll said. . “When it’s live, feel a little bit of a rush and then try to push the ball down the field, that’s the emphasis. … You have a plan, it’s a little different than a regular season game, where you Plotting and talking like that.”

As Jones noted, he had a rocky first quarter. He threw two incompletions – including a drop by Nabers on the game’s first third down – as the Giants went three and out on the game’s first possession. After a fourth-down stop by the defense, they took the next possession at their own six-yard line. Two plays later, Jones ran back into the end zone, where he was hugged by defensive end Derek Barnett. He still threw the ball, which Petre easily picked up and sprinted to the end zone.

Bad decision and bad throw,” Jones said. “I think in a situation like that, obviously you’re being tackled in the end zone, so an intentional grounding is a safety. So, just make sure you give (throw) the dirt at his feet, so that there is no chance of intentional grounding. Obviously can’t get a sack there in the end zone.”

Daboll said Jones “made a poor decision. … We’ll look into it. That’s what these games are for.”

Six plays into the Giants’ next possession, they had a first down at the Texans’ 33-yard line. Hyatt appeared to have a step on Stingley, but the cornerback jumped and intercepted the ball.

“I left the ball in — just a bad throw,” Jones said. “When you throw it out on the field, that situation lacks the outside.”

For the second straight game, the Giants scored all of their points in the second quarter. Two plays after Slayton’s long reception, Dion Singletary scored on a one-yard run.

“It was good to finish a drive like that to get a touchdown,” Daboll said.

After the Texans took a 14-7 lead, the Giants took over at their own 23-yard line with 3:43 left in the half. They got to the Houston 13 before Graham Gano kicked a 31-yard field goal.

“I think overall we found some things in the second quarter and executed and moved the ball,” Jones said. “I was pleased with how we responded in that second quarter.”

Other Giants turnovers were committed by reserves, such as backup quarterback Tommy DeVito, wide receiver John Gelis and lost fumbles by Lorenzo Lingard all on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions.

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(You) don’t give yourself much of a chance when you turn the ball over,” Daboll said. “Obviously we need to do a little better.”

Despite the misgivings, the Giants’ big picture looks brighter as Jones passed his first game test in more than nine months. Daboll has not said if Jones will play in next week’s preseason finale against the Jets. The regular season begins on September 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.

First game back after a little bit of time off,” Daboll said. Did some good things, but obviously we can all do better. It’s his first game and you’re trying to get ready for a game like that. which is not far away.”

Jones will get faster as he shakes off the rust. Although disappointed about the setbacks, he knows the biggest news is that he’s back on the field.

“I feel good physically, felt really good and excited to be out there,” he said. “Grateful for all the people who have helped me get to this point. All the doctors and trainers and the staff we have here who have helped me. It was fun to be out there. Didn’t start perfect, like I said, but we got going and I feel good physically.