Singletary's 30-yard run in OT gives Giants 27-21 win over Texans

HOUSTON (AP) — Two weeks ago, Cam Skattebo's fumble in overtime cost the New York Giants a chance at a win.

On Sunday, his huge run in OT set up a 30-yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary that gave the Giants a 27-21 victory over the Houston Texans.

Skattebo had a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter before his 42-yard scamper on second down set the stage for Singletary’s game winner. He had 17 carries for 124 yards after not having a carry last Sunday following his fumble in New York's 27-27 tie with Washington.

“When I fumbled against Washington, it wasn’t in my mind to take care of the ball in that moment,” he said. “This week, I made sure I took care of it. I can protect the ball if I need to and when I have the right mindset.”

J.J. McCarthy moved the ball effectively for the Giants (4-2-1) in his first start of the season after coach John Harbaugh benched Jameis Winston. He was 20 of 28 for 252 yards in the stadium in which he won the national title with Michigan in January 2024.

“I thought he did a great job,” Harbaugh said. “He made some great throws. I’m sure he didn’t play perfect, but he played a heck of a football game, and he deserves a lot of credit.”

The Texans (2-5) got the ball first in overtime, but New York’s defense forced a three-and-out with Kayvon Thibodeaux dropping a potential interception on second down.

C.J. Stroud had two touchdown passes but finished with a season-low 153 yards passing as the Texans failed to move the ball for most of the second half.

They tied it at 21-all on Xavier Hutchinson’s 3-yard grab with just under a minute to go.

The Giants didn’t get into field-goal range before time ran out to send it to OT.

Houston's defense continued to struggle, allowing a season-high 188 yards rushing.

“We've been very inconsistent of playing up to our standard,” defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said. “Sometimes we’re swarming, sometimes we’re not. Sometimes we’re tackling well, sometimes we’re not, and we've got to find a way to do it on a consistent basis.”

The Giants took a 21-14 lead when Skattebo broke multiple tackles on a 16-yard touchdown run with about nine minutes remaining and celebrated with a backflip.

He said receivers coach Chad Hall approached him before that play and told him that it was time for a backflip.

“I knew that means: it’s time to get in the end zone,” Skattebo said. “He believed in me, and I was able to make it happen.”

The Texans had trouble moving the ball after halftime and punted on their first three possessions after the break before the touchdown by Hutchinson.

Marvin Harrison Jr. scored a touchdown in the second quarter in his second game with the Texans after a trade with the Cardinals two weeks ago.

The Texans were up 3-0 after an early field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn when the Giants took the lead when Tyrone Tracy Jr. scored on a 2-yard run.

That TD was set up by a 42-yard reception by Malik Nabers the play before.

A 57-yard field goal by Fairbairn cut the lead to 7-6 with about nine minutes left in the second quarter.

New York padded the lead when Winston plunged in from 1-yard out for a touchdown about 3 ½ minutes before halftime. McCarthy found Thomas Fidone II wide open for a 29-yard gain two plays earlier to put the Giants in scoring position.

Stroud found Harrison in the back of the end zone on a 6-yard TD with about 30 seconds left in the second quarter. Cade Stover’s reception for the 2-point conversion tied it at 14-all.

The Giants had a chance to take the lead after that but Dominic Zvada’s 44-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right. It was his second miss of the game after his 56-yard attempt late in the first quarter was also wide right.

Tank Dell had one reception for 43 yards and returned a punt for 14 yards in his return after missing almost two years recovering from a gruesome knee injury.

“Really exciting for Tank,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Happy for all of the work he’s put in.”

Dell said he knows a lot of people were concerned about him getting hit for the first time since his injury, but that wasn't anything he thought about.

“I didn’t have no worries about getting tackled,” he said. “It felt cool actually.”

And he said his big reception on Sunday was just a glimpse of what to expect from him this season.

“I’m a playmaker man,” he said. “I’m so used to making those plays and there’s so many more to come.”

Texans WR Jaylin Noel left in the fourth quarter with a toe injury.

Both teams are off next week before the Giants visit the Eagles on Nov. 8 and the Texans visit the Chargers that day.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) breaks away from Houston Texans defenders to score the winning touchdown in overtime of an NFL football game in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy (18) looks to throw a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)

Houston Texans wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates after his touchdown with Evan Brown, left, during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) leaps over Houston Texans safety M.J. Stewart (29) and is tackled by linebacker Henry To'oto'o, right, during the first half of an NFL football game in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo celebrates in the end zone after his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) breaks away from Houston Texans defenders to score the winning touchdown in overtime of an NFL football game in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, was reelected Sunday in a result that provides relief to critics of widening U.S. influence in Latin America.

With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court announced that the soon to be 81-year-old Lula had a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes - 51.8% of the total vote - over opponent Flávio Bolsonaro. The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours. That decision by a Supreme Court justice may trigger legal action by Bolsonaro.

His triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-center presidential candidates allied with Trump have been winning. Lula’s victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America’s two most populous nations, with left-of-center leaders. It also positions Latin America’s largest economy, with a GDP of $2.6 trillion per year, to remain independent of the U.S., despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Trump.

A video published by Lula’s campaign shows the veteran leader celebrating with First Lady Rosângela da Silva and allies after his runoff victory was confirmed by Brazil’s electoral court. Wearing star-shaped red glasses, he kissed his wife. Hundreds of his supporters began gathering on São Paulo’s main artery to celebrate the victory.

In addressing supporters, Lula expressed his gratitude to the Brazilian people, and pledged to respect all Brazilians, regardless of gender or religion. He also attacked Bolsonaro. “

"This was a defeat for denialism and lies. I must confess that every time I attended a debate, I felt embarrassed,” he said.

He also doubled down on his commitment to Brazil’s sovereignty.

"Either the homeland remains free, or we die for Brazil," he said. “This country will not accept being anyone’s backyard.”

In Rio de Janeiro, cars beeped their horns and a woman dressed in red — the color of Lula supporters — shouted “You lost! Cry harder!” to four men in yellow and green sipping beers, Bolsonaro's signature colors. A huge roar echoed in the street as the result was confirmed.

Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and supporter of Bolsonaro, said that another Lula government would harm the economy. He pointed to financial markets’ positive reaction to the result of the first round, when Bolsonaro bested Lula.

“I don’t understand how people can vote for Lula,” he said. “The country is collapsing.”

Bolsonaro had yet to respond to Lula's apparent victory, which will give him his nonconsecutive fourth term as president. The next term begins on Jan. 5, 2027.

The electoral court's announcement ended an evening of confusion at polling places after Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled three minutes before the scheduled end of voting to keep polls open for two more hours, following requests by both candidates. Lula’s request came after issues with buses that provide transportation to polls in Sao Paulo and Salvador, two cities that tend to favor the incumbent. Bolsonaro’s request was due to heavy rains in Brazil’s south, where he is favored.

In Brasilia, volunteers who oversaw the vote count at a school debated whether they needed to stay after the announcement to extend voting, but most left 15 to 20 minutes after polls closed and they had given count information to electoral authorities. At a polling station in Rio de Janeiro, the voting machines had already been switched off minutes after polls were set to close and couldn’t be turned back on.

The decision delayed tallying the votes by two hours. It was unclear how many polling stations stayed open after the scheduled closing time.

Bolsonaro ally Nikolas Ferreira noted that Zanin, who made the decision, is Lula's former lawyer.

Bolsonaro bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of the election earlier this month. Sunday night's apparent victory by Lula marked the first time since Brazil’s military dictatorship ended in 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first-round elections won the presidency. Polls had predicted a tight race between the two Sunday — but in the end, the votes split 51.8% for Lula to Bolsonaro's 48.2%.

Lula faced a tough reelection battle because of concerns about the cost of living and security. Bolsonaro made a tough-on-crime approach the cornerstone of his campaign and pledged to bring down food costs while Lula, trying to lure undecided voters, has invested in costly incentives.

Both have been hit by corruption suspicions involving family members and allies, with Bolsonaro implicated in a sprawling scandal rocking Brazil. Lula previously spent more than a year in prison on corruption convictions that were eventually annulled.

This will likely be the last victory of the veteran leader’s political career. Lula began his political career in the 1970s as a union leader. He then helped found the Workers’ Party, which he represented as a presidential candidate three times until he finally won the office in 2002. He was reelected four years later and was succeeded by one of his cabinet ministers, Dilma Rousseff, in 2010. She was reelected in 2014.

Rousseff was impeached for accounting maneuvering in 2016 amid a sprawling corruption probe, which also ensnared Lula. He tried to run for president again in 2018 but was jailed in March after being convicted.

Lula was released from prison after 580 days and saw Brazil’s Supreme Court annul his sentence after police found messages that showed the judge who convicted him was biased. He quickly became one of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s biggest critics and narrowly beat him in 2022.

Since he lost the first round, Lula reorganized his campaign, appealed to young voters, put millions of Brazilians on the streets to defend democratic values and his legacy, raised fears of another Bolsonaro administration and boosted several government initiatives.

He joins Trump and Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega — all aged 80 — as the oldest presidents in the Americas.

Savarese reported from Sao Paulo. Brigida reported from Brasilia.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate after he won the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)

Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate after he won the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro flashes a victory sign as he arrives in Brasilia, Brazil, on the day of the presidential runoff election, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, waves after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izuierdo)

People walk along the beach during the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, waves after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, wears glasses given to him by a supporter after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, displays a Brazilian flag before voting in a presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Voters line outside a polling station up during the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

A supporter of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, lines up at a polling station during a presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Voters wait to cast their ballots during a presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)

Red T-shirts depicting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, and yellow T-shirts depicting opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro hang for sale outside a building ahead of Brazil's presidential runoff election in Autazes, Amazonas state, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, who is running for reelection, and his running mate Geraldo Alckmin raise their arms in unison at the end of their final campaign rally, a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, center, leaves after his final campaign rally a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro cheer during his final campaign rally a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)

A girl standing on a man's shoulders reaches out amid a crowd of supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, during his final campaign rally, a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)