MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After just two snaps, the Houston Texans had a good indication of how Sunday's game against the Vikings was going to play out.
On the first play from scrimmage, Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud connected with wide receiver Nico Collins on a 17-yard pass, giving the Texans the ball near midfield. But tight end Cade Stover was flagged for holding, negating the big gain.
Click to Gallery
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After just two snaps, the Houston Texans had a good indication of how Sunday's game against the Vikings was going to play out.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates after sacking Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is sacked by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) talks with Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
On the next snap, Stroud was looking for wideout Tank Dell on a crossing pattern. But his pass was tipped by defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, and linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill picked it off, giving the Vikings the ball at the Houston 21-yard line.
Six plays later, the Vikings had a 7-0 lead and were on their way to a 34-7 blowout of the Texans.
The holding call on Stover was one of 11 penalties against the Texans on Sunday, a week after they committed 12 penalties in a victory over the Bears.
“You can’t win that way, when you have something positive going, and you negate it by the penalty. That just saps the energy out of everyone,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said. “And turning the ball over — a lot of miscues today. You can’t do that and expect to win in this league.”
Quarterbacks turning the ball over isn't necessarily a rare thing — unless you're Stroud. He'd thrown 266 passes without an interception, a streak that went back to Nov. 19, 2023, and covered a span of nine starts, including two playoff games.
His next streak lasted just 26 throws, as Vikings safety Camryn Bynum logged a fourth-quarter interception that the Vikings promptly turned into their final touchdown.
Stroud finished 20 for 31 for 215 yards and one touchdown along with the two interceptions. He also was sacked four times. After the game, Stroud gave credit to the Vikings, even while admitting that many of the Texans' mistakes were self-inflicted.
“I was making the right reads all day,” Stroud said. “I felt like I played well other than the turnovers, especially the one at the end. I was seeing it well. I tried to stay in the pocket and deliver it as best I could, but they had some coverages and some pressures that they did at a very, very high level, so kudos to those guys.”
The Texans outgained the Vikings 296 to 274 yards, but with running back Joe Mixon out, they could not establish a running game. That put more pressure on Stroud and the passing game.
“I’ve dealt with games like this before, where it’s like, ‘Man, we look terrible!’ But that’s not the truth,” Stroud said. "They kicked our butts today. They are a great team and they’ll continue to do great things, but we know what we are and that’s not what we put on the field today.
“Once we fix the negatives, we’re going to be rolling. I’m excited because the only way we can go now is up,” he added “It’s something to learn from. I’m glad it happened early. Now it’s time to go to work.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud talks with a coach on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates after sacking Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is sacked by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) talks with Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 34-7. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
CLEVELAND (AP) — There's one play that works better than all the others for the New York Giants: throw the ball anywhere in the vicinity of Malik Nabers.
The rookie wide receiver caught two touchdown passes from Daniel Jones, made a sensational grab over a defender down the sideline and even broke up a potential interception as New York held off the Cleveland Browns 21-15 on Sunday for its first win.
Jones and Nabers connected twice in the first half as the Giants (1-2) built a 21-7 lead before holding on for dear life.
“I have a lot of trust in him going up and getting the ball,” said Jones, who completed 24 of 34 passes for 236 yards as New York shook off a loss at Washington that prompted a week of criticism toward coach Brian Daboll.
It wasn't easy.
Despite losing three offensive linemen to injuries, Deshaun Watson rallied the Browns (1-2) and Cleveland had three chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter. But the Giants recovered a fumble and stopped the Browns twice on downs.
The Giants were hardly perfect. They fumbled the opening kickoff and fell behind 7-0 in the first 11 seconds, and newly signed kicker Greg Joseph missed 48-yard field goal that could have helped ice the game.
“Just a normal NFL game,” Daboll said with a straight face.
Nabers is anything but normal.
One of the Giants' only bright spots through two games, the first-round pick shined again with eight catches for 78 yards, including an incredible grab in the corner of the end zone for his first touchdown.
At 21 years, 56 days, he also became the youngest wide receiver in NFL history to have two TD receptions.
Nabers said Jones gave him specific instructions on the plays in which he was targeted.
“He said, ‘It’s you or nobody,’” Nabers said.
Late in the first half, Nabers snatched the ball away from Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. for a 28-yard reception.
“One hell of a catch,” Daboll said. “When you have a guy like that, it doesn't really matter the matchup. Throw the ball up to him and trust he's going to get it.”
A few plays later, Nabers scored on a 3-yard pass from Jones with his leaping, twisting grab in the back of the end zone.
Nabers smiled when asked if knew he had it all the way.
“I seen where it was going and I was like, eh," Nabers said.
While those catches were noteworthy, Daboll said Nabers' biggest play was breaking up an ill-advised pass by Jones that Cleveland nearly intercepted deep in Giants territory.
“For him to have the awareness to knock the ball down, that plays says more to me about Malik than some of the other things,” Daboll said. “Everyone can see the touchdowns, but the unselfish play, the smart play he made was huge.”
The Giants' defensive front did its job, sacking Watson eight times as the Browns had their second poor performance at home in three weeks — and some major injuries piled up.
Cleveland's starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and right guard Wyatt Teller (knee) were hurt along with backup tackle James Hudson III. That forced coach Kevin Stefanski to shuffle his line in front of Watson, who went 21 of 37 for 196 yards and two TDs.
More troubling, All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett may have aggravated injuries to his feet by playing. He was set to undergo an MRI on Monday, and a significant injury to Garrett could alter Cleveland's season.
“A whole lot of things going on,” Garrett said when asked about his feet. “It’s part of the game. I’m not gonna make excuses. Excuses don’t win this game.”
Other than the fumble on the opening kickoff, the Giants dominated the first half.
Jones was nearly perfect, completing 17 of 19 passes — 12 in a row at one point.
New York's defense kept the pressure on Watson, sacking him four times with Brian Burns stripping Cleveland's QB to set up Jones' second TD strike to Nabers with 11 seconds left in the half to put the Giants ahead 21-7.
Giants: CB Dru Phillips (calf) went out in the first half and CB Adoree' Jackson (calf) got hurt in the third quarter. ... ILB Michah McFadden (back) went off early in the fourth. ... WR Darius Slayton (thumb) also was hurt in the second half.
Browns: Stefanski said all three linemen will have imaging tests. ... Cooper was slow getting up on Cleveland's second-to-last play but said he was fine.
Giants: Host Dallas on Thursday night.
Browns: At Las Vegas on Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones rolls out to pass against the Cleveland Browns during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, foreground left, is tackled by New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass next to New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns, right, forces Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) to fumble the ball, which the Giants recovered, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) runs against New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (94) is congratulated by defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, middle, and linebacker Brian Burns after sacking Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) passes against the New York Giants during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) passes as Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman (33) applies pressure during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, left, looks to pass as Cleveland Browns defensive end Alex Wright (91) applies pressure during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) catches a touchdown pass against the Cleveland Browns during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
