J.J. McCarthy Wins Giants Debut as Devin Singletary Beats Texans in Overtime

A packed professional football stadium during a daytime game — Sean Benesh / Unsplash (illustrative football image)

Summary

The Giants beat the Texans 27-21 in overtime after Devin Singletary scored on a 30-yard run.
J.J. McCarthy made his first start for New York and helped the Giants take a 14-14 tie into halftime.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. scored New York's opening touchdown but left with a hamstring injury.
Houston forced overtime with 52 seconds left, then went three-and-out on the first possession of the extra period.

Singletary ends an overtime thriller in Houston

The New York Giants beat the Houston Texans 27-21 in overtime Sunday at Reliant Stadium, with former Texans running back Devin Singletary breaking a 30-yard touchdown run to end the game. Houston had forced overtime when C.J. Stroud found Xavier Hutchinson for a 3-yard touchdown with 52 seconds left in regulation and completed a two-point conversion to tie the score at 21.^{[1] [2]}

Houston received the first overtime possession but went three-and-out after pressure forced an incomplete pass on third down. Cam Skattebo then broke a 42-yard run for New York before Singletary finished the drive. The result moved the Giants past a game in which their kicker missed two field-goal attempts and the Texans repeatedly struggled on third down.^{[1] [2] [3]}

McCarthy's first Giants start produces explosive plays

J.J. McCarthy made his first start for New York after replacing Jameis Winston during the previous week's loss to New Orleans. McCarthy immediately found explosive gains, including a 42-yard completion to Malik Nabers that set up Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s 2-yard touchdown run and a 47-yard catch-and-run by rookie Malachi Fields. A later 29-yard completion to Thomas Fidone II put the Giants at the goal line before Winston entered for a short rushing touchdown.^{[2] [3]}

The Giants reached halftime tied 14-14 and regained the lead in the fourth quarter when Skattebo powered through several tackles for a 16-yard touchdown. New York's offense did not dominate every possession, but its long completions and two late explosive runs supplied the difference. The win also gave McCarthy an immediate result in a starting role that had become the central question around the Giants' offense.^{[1] [3]}

Injuries shape the player searches after the game

Tracy's day ended early after he was listed as questionable to return with a hamstring injury. He had already scored New York's first touchdown, and his exit shifted more of the rushing work to Skattebo and Singletary. CBS Sports reported the designation during the game; the Giants had not announced a longer-term diagnosis by publication time.^{[3] [4]}

Houston's own skill players had a difficult afternoon. Nico Collins was held to two catches for six yards, according to the completed box score, while running back Woody Marks left briefly with a leg injury before returning. Tank Dell made his first appearance since a severe 2024 knee injury and provided a 43-yard reception during Houston's first-half rally. Those individual developments explain why several player-name searches rose alongside the final score, but the decisive play belonged to Singletary against his former team.^{[1] [2]}

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