No matter how many good passes NY Giants quarterback Daniel Jones throws in a game, his ability is drown by his mistakes.
Why do people keep touting Daniel Jones’ potential?
Since he’s been the starting quarterback for the NY Giants, he’s only won four games — three of which has come from a single team — The Washington Football Team. He’s also had an inexcusable amount of turnovers.
Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles could have been an opportunity to show he’s worth the hype. As pathetic as the division is, a win would have made the Giants contenders for the NFC East crown. A win would have also broken the four-year losing streak to the Giants rivals.
But what? Fans should be happy that he threw a good pass? That he ran 80 yards, before tripping over his own two feet? That the team he leads is 1-5, and since he’s been at the helm, 4-15?
Watching Jones play is watching someone in over their head. Yes, those around him are not helping. Evan Engram seemingly drops as many balls as Jones turns over. Andrew Thomas has been a disaster. But Jones does nothing to make the players around him better.
Scroll through for a look at why Jones has struggled …
“But he’s Danny Dimes!”
Last time I checked, an NFL quarterback should be able to make throws. That ability should not be the standard bearer for a franchise quarterback to live up to. It should not give anyone hope in Daniel Jones that he’s able to make a few each game.
His completion percentage through seven games is the same as his overall 2019 percentage, 61.9%. And that’s after Thursday’s game, in which he had the best completion percentage this season, at 66.7%.
Thursday was Jones’ best game this season, both visually and on the stat cards.
Though Jones only through for 187 yards, he did throw for two touchdowns, and had a passer rating of 91.9 — by far his best of the season.
But he also threw an interception, his seventh of the year, and fumbled yet again, his fifth of the year. Four of those five went to the other team, including Thursday night’s fumble, which sealed the win for the Eagles.
“He’s just a rookie. Turnovers will stop.”
In addition to making a few good throws each game, Jones is good for a turnover or two each game, too.
He has turned the ball over in every game thus far this season. He’s turned the ball over multiple times in four of the games this season.
Interceptions are a great concern. He had 12 interceptions in as many games started in 2019, and he seemed doomed to surpass that total this year. Fumbles are even worse. He lost 15 of his 18 fumbles from 2019, bringing his total lost fumbles to 19. Since he’s been a NY Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones has 38 turnovers.
This leads fellow 2019 NFL Draft quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins. Through 22 games, Murray has 21 turnovers. After fumbling the ball five times as a rookie, Murray has been able to reduce that to just once this year. And though Murray has turned the ball over in all but one game thus far this season, he has led the Arizona Cardinals to a 4-2 record in arguably the toughest division in the NFL.
Through 11 games, Haskins has 17 turnovers, but was benched earlier this season. Haskins has just one fewer win than Jones, and seven fewer losses.
“He’s mobile!”
I originally wanted to write about how great Jones has been running the ball. He leads the team in rushing yards, and has just about all year. He’s also in the top 3 when it comes to rushing quarterbacks.
But in the most redeeming play he’s made all year, he tripped well short of the end zone.
Luckily the Giants were able to score on that drive. But had they only settled for three, or didn’t score, it would have made for more than just a silly play for Jones. That trip could be evidence that even Jones’ best quality has a major flaw.
Maybe that self tackle is a one off. But maybe Jason Garrett is afraid to let Jones loose too many times in a single game. Not because of fear of injury, but fear of turnovers.
Jones has fumbled in six of seven games this year, and 10 of 13 last year. Many always come from his blindside. Any skilled defensive player who is chasing him down on a designed run or otherwise would know to target the ball.
It’s easy to kick a bad team while it’s down. But the Giants, and especially Daniel Jones, have not showed anything on the field worthy of praise.
People can continue to tout Jones’ potential. People can take solace that two or three of his 30 attempts in Thursday’s debacle were elite throws. But people also didn’t give Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, the benefit of the doubt. So people should also question the ability of Jones.