HOUSTON — By now, everyone knows what Malik Neighbors has been doing for the Giants all summer.
Neighbors had four unofficial catches for the first time in his NFL career on Saturday, bringing the explosiveness he’s shown in training camp and practice sessions into the preseason in a 28-10 loss to the Texans.
The rookie, who had 54 yards receiving, played the entire first half alongside quarterback Daniel Jones.
“You never know when your next chance to get the ball is going to be,” Neighbors said, “so you want to take every opportunity you get to get the ball and show the quarterback that no matter what the ball is thrown to you, you’re going to be able to catch it somehow.”
Concerns that Neighbors might be slowed by a sprained ankle he suffered six days earlier proved to be nothing more than a laughing matter long before he made the acrobatic toe-tap catch that led to a field goal late in the first half.
After successfully releasing it, he adjusted to a back-shoulder throw.
“Me and Daniel have good chemistry,” Neighbors said. “We have good chemistry.”
Neighbors could only raise one hand after a third-down pass fell incomplete on the game’s first drive.
He wasn’t exactly a glowing critic of fellow LSU alum Derek Stingley Jr.
“There’s a lot of plays I didn’t make. I’m still upset that I didn’t make that play,” Neighbors said. “Sting had one of my arms. I tried to get free, but as I was trying to get free I had to reach my other hand in. It was a contested catch late. I’ve got to get stronger to make the catch.”
Neighbors wasn’t targeted once in 12 snaps in the preseason opener against quarterback Drew Lock.
He caught six passes against the Texans.
“When I was in college, we always said that the receivers are the engine of the game,” Neighbors said. “When you make a tough catch or a great catch, that’s what drives the offense. If you have guys like that on your receiving corps, that’s a good thing. You need those guys on your offense.”
Coach Brian Daboll said he used every player who was medically cleared to play, and Neighbors was no exception.
The five starters on the offensive line on Saturday — Andrew Thomas, Aaron Stinney, John-Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten and Jermaine El-Emenour (left to right) — played three series together.
Stinney filled in for injured LG Jon Runyan Jr.
All but Schmitz, who returned this week after missing eight straight practices with a shoulder injury, played the fourth and fifth series along with the other starters. Austin Schlottmann filled in for Schmitz.
Because the play was nullified by a penalty, it will not appear in the box score.
But 278-pound undrafted rookie defensive tackle Elijah Chatman chased running back JayJay Taylor down the sideline from about 40 yards out, continuing what was a great summer for the 23-year-old out of SMU.
“Guys, he just made the football team,” commentator Carl Banks said during the telecast.
RT Evan Neal and WR/PR Gunner Olszewski were in street clothes.
Olszewski is expected to be out for “some time” after suffering a groin injury during practice on Thursday.
LB Micah McFadden (groin), DT Ryder Anderson (hamstring), LB Matt Adams (groin) and OT Yodny Cajuste (unknown) left the game with injuries.
Fullback Jacob Johnson (did not practice) and running back Joshua Kelley (one practice) lined up in the backfield together in the second half after signing late in the week, with neither veteran attending the other team’s camp.
