Answers as to why Kenny Golladay can’t contribute more to the Giants are proving to be as elusive as his next catch. 

Golladay was benched for the second half Sunday after he dropped a should-be easy catch and had another throw bounce off his outstretched fingertips in the first half of the Giants’ 24-16 win against the Texans. The MetLife Stadium crowd booed loudly after both incompletions. 

“It’s definitely unacceptable,” Golladay said of his drop. “I take pride in catching the ball.” 

It was the second benching of the season for Golladay, who disagreed with the coaching staff’s thinking after playing just two snaps in Week 2. He said wide receivers coach Mike Groh delivered the news Sunday at halftime that newcomer Isaiah Hodgins (two catches for 41 yards) was going to take over as the ‘X’ receiver. 

Did he understand the coaches’ rationale this time around? 

“It really doesn’t matter,” Golladay said. “I’m going to keep that comment to myself.” 

Sunday was supposed to be a fresh start for Golladay, who returned from a four-game absence due to a knee injury plus the bye week and started in place of David Sills (inactive) and Marcus Johnson (led the Giants in receiver snaps in the previous game). But it looked like more of the same frustrations for the $72 million free-agent disappointment still looking for his first catch since he had two for 22 yards in the season-opener. 

“It’s tough,” Golladay said. “I’m going to keep pushing through, though.” 

Asked if this is the most challenging point of his career, Golladay agreed. It certainly feels like the polar opposite of when he led the NFL with 11 touchdown catches for the Lions in 2019. He has yet to find the end zone in 19 games played (of a possible 26) since signing with the Giants. 

“Me knowing the type of player I can be and what I want to put out there on the field, and what’s been going on this year,” Golladay said, “that’s the hard part.” 

The Giants are pretty much out of options with Golladay. 

“You never know what can happen week to week,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “Go out there, try to have a good week of practice, and take it day by day. We just made a decision to play Isaiah. Simple as that.” 

The trade deadline has passed — fellow unproductive receiver Kadarius Toney was traded to the Chiefs and scored his first career touchdown Sunday — and it would cost more against an already tight salary cap to cut Golladay before the end of the season than to keep him on the roster. His contract is one of the few that could be restructured to create more operating space for the rest of the season, but that solution kicks more dead money into next season, when he almost certainly will be released. 

“Of course I didn’t expect what’s going on right now,” said Golladay, who admitted he doesn’t know why it hasn’t worked out for him with the Giants. “[I have to] stay mentally locked in. That’s it.”