Stidham solid again in defeat

FOXBORO — New England’s Demaryius Thomas found his way into the end zone – twice.

New York Giants’ quarterback Kyle Lauletta may have found himself on the team.

Rookie Jarrett Stidham bolstered his bid to be Tom Brady’s backup by throwing two touchdown passes for New England before the Giants scored on the final play with Lauletta throwing a 14-yard TD for a 31-29 victory over the Patriots on Thursday night.

Stidham, a fourth-round pick from Auburn, threw both of his TDs to Thomas - for 35 and 3 yards. He played the entire night and saw most of the preseason game action in a competition with Brian Hoyer if New England (3-1) decides to keep only two QBs. He went 18 of 28 for 225 yards against the Giants and also rushed for 50 yards.

“I think whatever the decision is made, whatever my role is on the team, that’s what I’m going to do,” Stidham said.

Coming off a torn left Achilles tendon late last season, Thomas signed with the Patriots as a free agent after he was cut by Houston.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the end zone,” he said, breaking into a smile.

Thomas made seven catches for 87 yards.

Receiver Josh Gordon played for New England, along with Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman – before Edelman left on the first drive following an injury scare to the same hand that caused him to miss the first three preseason games.

Sidelined with a broken left thumb until Thursday, Edelman caught a 20yard pass on the first series and got up looking at the same hand. He was met on the sideline by a trainer and stayed there chatting with Brady. He remained on the sideline the rest of the game.

Daniel Jones, the sixth overall pick in April’s draft by the Giants (4-0), started and was 4 of 4 for 47 yards before Alex Tanney and Lauletta played the rest of the game. Both Tanney and Lauletta threw a TD pass as the Giants rallied from a 29-10 deficit. Tanney was also intercepted twice.

Lauletta, picked in the fourth round a year ago, drove the Giants down to the Patriots 14 before throwing the TD pass — his second of the game – to Alonzo Russell. He finished 22 of 40 for 248 yards.

“It was good just the way the game played out,” he said. “We were down and we had to throw the ball to come back, and guys were just making plays. It was fun.”

Jones finished a strong preseason, going 29 of 34 with 416 yards and two touchdowns. Coach Pat Shurmur and co-owner John Mara both said he’d back up veteran Eli Manning.

“I would have left him there, but we moved so well,” Shurmur said. “I thought it was important for him to go through the week, after having let the media know he was going to be the starter.”

The oft-suspended Gordon had two catches for 30 yards in six targets in his first game action after being reinstated by the league on Aug. 16.