Daniel Jones’ Worst Throw of the Day
Situation: 2nd & 5 from the Bucs’ 34-yard line, with the NY Giants up 17-15, with 12:13 remaining in the 4th quarter.
To start the 4th quarter, it seemed that the NY Giants were more than capable of pulling off a double-digit upset of Tom Brady & Co.
Jones had the offense at the TB 34, with a field goal being the minimum the Giants should have picked up on the drive.
Instead, disaster struck and Daniel Jones threw a maddening interception.
Jones’ second interception of the night was the game’s fatal error. The team was put in a position to finish the drive and score, but instead gave the ball up and had nothing to show for a promising drive.
The 2nd & 5 started with a clean, big pocket for Jones but no receiver was open. Daniel then started to move slightly to his right in the pocket as Cam Fleming was no longer able to stay latched onto Shaq Barrett.
Barrett then thrusted all his strength and might onto Jones and never let go of his jersey. Jones may have thought he escaped from Barrett’s pursuit and tried throwing it the instant his throwing arm was free from Barrett’s grasp. Jones’ entire lower body was being held onto by Barrett and he was unsurprisingly unable to get his throw to his expected target, Golden Tate.
Instead, Barrett’s disruption caused Jones’ throw to go short of Tate and right into Tampa safety Sean Murphy-Buntings’ diving hands for the interception.
This play was a microcosm of Jones’ entire 20-game body of work. Daniel could have simply thrown the ball away, taken a sack, or learn to get the ball out quicker than when the NFL’s reigning sack leader is draped all over your arm and body. It is concerncing to see Jones make this same mistake over and over.
This turnover felt very similarly to Jones’ awful Week 1 interception where he threw it too late into the endzone and ended up being hit as he threw, leading to a nightmare interception.
Until he fixes his pocket awareeness, his ability to sense presure, throw the ball away, or not give up inexcuasble turnvoers, Daniel Jones won’t be able to take the next step as a franchise quarterback.