Daniel Jones is the most important player on the NY Giants’ roster, and the quarterback faces what could be a make or break third NFL season in 2021
For NY Giants fans, the success of the upcoming 2021 season depends on the performance of third-year quarterback, Daniel Jones.
After a mediocre sophomore season where Jones had more turnovers (a combined sixteen lost fumbles/interceptions to twelve total touchdowns), he has much to prove this year.
With the Giants having a productive offseason, adding weapons like Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay, and allowing their offensive line to develop for another year, Jones should have a reliable crew around him to become the franchise quarterback that the Giants and their fans have been waiting for.
As OTAs are upon us and with the preseason almost three months away, here is a way too early prediction of NY Giants QB Daniel Jones’ 2021 season.
Yards/Touchdowns
The NY Giants had one of the worst offenses in the league in 2020, quarterbacked by Jones, who had less than three thousand passing yards and less than half of his touchdowns from the prior season. This is in part due to the lack of offensive firepower: Saquon Barkley was hurt, the offensive line leaned heavily on the production of rookies like Andrew Thomas and Matthew Peart, and the wide receiver unit had trouble with getting separation from defensive backs. Jones found himself playing a lot of “hero ball” to spur the offense himself, but this often led to more mistakes than miracles.
Now, the NY Giants’ offense has been revamped, with the return of Saquon Barkley, the signing of Golladay, and the drafting of Toney. Jones can rely on his playmakers instead of trying to carry the offense himself, which can hopefully take him to the next level as the Giants’ quarterback.
I anticipate Jones to have at least 25 passing touchdowns, similar to the numbers he produced in his rookie season, with the potential to be even better. I also see Jones having at least three rushing touchdowns this season, as he could be used as a decoy for Barkley in the backfield.
Turnovers
The biggest gripe against Jones during his three-year football career has been his issue with turnovers. After a promising rookie season in 2019, this was the one area that Jones needed to work on coming into his sophomore year, as he previously threw 12 interceptions and lost 11 fumbles. In 2020, while the number of his turnovers decreased to only 10 interceptions and six lost fumbles, they outweighed his offensive production by a large margin.
If we were to follow the pattern of Jones’ career, in the 2021 season, he is going to have a fair amount of turnovers.
As a passer, he makes quite a few risky throws that could either pay off or hurt his team. With the introduction of a No.1 wide receiver like Golladay, Jones can unlock his potential as a deep threat without throwing too many interceptions.
On the topic of Jones’ fumbling issue, there is a much more cohesive offensive line projected for the 2021 season than the unit that played in 2020. T
here’s reason to believe that their offensive line is to improve greatly after the offseason, especially the play of left tackle, Andrew Thomas.