Giants vs. Texans Preview: Jones To Make Preseason Debut

Welcome back, Daniel Jones.

When the New York GIants visit the Houston Texans on Saturday, Aug. 17, they’ll do so armed with their starting quarterback. After being held out of the preseason opener, Jones and several starters are expected to get some run before the final dress rehearsal.

It’ll be Jones’ first game action since tearing his ACL in Week 9 of last season.

For fans awaiting their quarterback’s preseason debut, there are a few things to watch. Camp and joint practices have shown Jones is confident cutting and maneuvering on his surgically-repaired knee. His ability to do so when the bullets are flying will be telling.

Jones doesn’t need to light up the scoreboard, and as long as he doesn’t fail miserably, he should stay out of the headlines. But seeing how he looks with receiver Malik Nabers (should he play) and the stable of tight ends will be a preview of what’s to come.

After playing in their preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Texans are expected to let their starters take the field again. However many drives the first-teamers get will be a small sample size, but New York has a tall task waiting for it in the trenches, where Will Anderson headlines a scary unit.

Further, Houston’s pass catchers would be poised for big games against the Giants secondary if they were to play all four quarters. Can New York’s secondary hold up in the few chances they get against Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs?

Of course, most of this one will be decided by its backups, and there’s no shortage of storylines there, either.

Related: Giants' Front Seven Depth Stands Out in Preseason Win Over Lions

The Giants are still figuring out the specifics of their second-team offensive line . On the other side of the ball, young defensive linemen – who shined in the 14-3 win over the Detroit Lions – will get another chance to make an impression, too.

New York may struggle, particularly in the second half where injuries have taken a toll on the bottom portion of the roster. But if the Giants can escape healthily, with promising showings from some younger contributors and additional clarity on their position battles, they’ll have won, regardless of what the scoreboard says.