GROWING UP
Rook Jones learning, not losing confidence despite Giants’ skid
Daniel Jones, looking as energized as a dead battery, was asked if he was feeling down.
Jones pivoted the question away from himself.
“I’d say we’re all disappointed, I don’t think …”
Just then, behind the media gaggle stationed in front of Jones’ locker, a teammate commented, loudly, as he walked by and out of the room. “I love you. I love you, DJ.’’ It was receiver Bennie Fowler and the sentiment and clarity of the words made Jones pause and smile. Then he continued. “When we put a lot into it and expect to win, I think we’re all disappointed,’’ Jones said. “We’re not discouraged.’’
It is a fine line and Jones is walking it, feeling the abject disappointment of doing things on the field the past three games to contribute to losses and trying to avoid allowing discouragement to creep in. Fowler voiced how the Giants still feel about Daniel Jones — they love him — but that does not mean the adoration comes without a price to be paid.
Coach Pat Shurmur on Monday said, flatly and directly, “No’’ when asked if he would consider a quarterback change if Jones continues to turn the ball over and his overall play does not improve. A move away from Jones would mean another start for Eli Manning but that is not in the plan, at all.
“No. I think Daniel is going to learn from everything that’s going on,’’ Shurmur said. “Just like all the other rookies in there playing, they’re going to learn from the things that happen. But you have to learn and you have to win games, and I’m well aware of that. I’m totally well aware of that.’’
As Jones learns, losing is an accompaniment. Lest we forget, Shurmur pulling the plug on Manning after only two games was not the way most everyone thought this would go down, including the two most affected: Jones and Manning. After five starts, Jones is in the midst of a bona fide swoon, as the exhilaration of winning his first two games has faded into the reality of losing three straight at a time in the season when Jones figured he would still be on the sideline, watching a 16-year veteran in action.
“Didn’t have a whole lot of expectation for this, didn’t obviously expect to be in this position,’’ Jones said. “We’re not gonna lose confidence, I’m certainly not going to lose confidence.’’
He is also not going to lose his starting job. Shurmur is sticking with Jones. There is no doubt Shurmur believed Jones possesses inherent smartness that would minimize some of the typical rookie mistakes. This is not happening. Jones is making the mistakes typical of novice NFL quarterbacks and the Giants are feeling the pain of this process. This is how an offense scores just 14 points against the league’s 30th-ranked defense in a 27-21 loss to the Cardinals, a game lowlighted by one more Jones interception and two more lost fumbles.
In five games, Jones has 12 turnovers — seven interceptions and five lost fumbles. He said he anticipates working more intently this week on ball-security drills.
“Just making sure I have two hands on the ball in the pocket is a big thing,’’ Jones said. “Just not letting myself get lazy with that at all. And when I’m running keeping the ball secured. All the little things you’re heard for a long time that are just kind fundamental to anyone in position to hold the ball are things I need to do better.’’
Rookie quarterbacks at one point in their formative years almost always find the chaos and confusion in and around an NFL pocket too fast for their liking. Jones is clearly feeling this rush. He held the ball too long on his second fumble against the Cardinals, looking to set up a screen pass and not reacting quickly enough when linebacker Terrell Suggs was closing in on him.
“I felt him, I thought I could get it off or else I wouldn’t have tried to,’’ Jones said. “That’s something I got to feel better and sense better and get rid of it quicker.’’
It is not all bad. Shurmur says, “I see growth in everything,” and Jones believes he has made progress.
“There are certain throws, certain areas in just managing the offense that I understand better and I’m doing better,’’ Jones said, “but the challenge is to do everything better.’’