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Giants Beat Texans 27-21 in Overtime, Take NFC Lead

By Drooid · Oct 26, 2026, 11:33 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Giants Overtime Victory

The New York Giants defeated the Houston Texans 27-21 in overtime.
Giants entered as 10.5-point underdogs and improved to a 4-2-1 record, leading the NFC East.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards with no turnovers.
Running back Cam Skattebo rushed 17 times for 124 yards and scored the 42-yard overtime touchdown.

Summary

Texans Offensive Struggles

Texans recorded a season-low 153 passing yards, underscoring offensive inefficiency.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans was criticized for lacking offensive creativity after the loss.
Defensive back Deonte Banks earned the fourth-highest defender grade, allowing ten yards on six targets.
Penalties remained egregious, contributing to the Texans’ 2-5 record before the bye.

History

Historical Context

After the Giants stunned 12-point-favored New England Patriots 17–14 in Super Bowl XLII on February 3 2008, they repeated the feat against the same opponent in Super Bowl XLVI (2012) despite a 9-7 regular-season record, the lowest ever for a champion. That legacy of underdog victories frames today’s surprise 27-21 overtime win by rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy over the Houston Texans.

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Giants Overtime Victory

The New York Giants defeated the Houston Texans 27-21 in overtime.
Giants entered as 10.5-point underdogs and improved to a 4-2-1 record, leading the NFC East.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards with no turnovers.
Running back Cam Skattebo rushed 17 times for 124 yards and scored the 42-yard overtime touchdown.

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