Jones can’t be great until he solves his turnover problem
Last spring, Giants GM Dave Gettleman envisioned his succession plan for Eli Manning following “the Kansas City model”: draft a quarterback, let him sit for a year and learn, then take over in year two.
That plan lasted all of two weeks before Manning was benched for Jones. The Giants later fired the head coach who helped draft Jones.
But now, as if following Kansas City’s model weren’t tough enough, the Chiefs have added another daunting prerequisite to following in their footsteps: draft a transcendent and generational quarterback who will win an MVP and a Super Bowl in his first two seasons as a starter.
Maybe it’s time to pick a different team to emulate. Or maybe Jones is up to the task of making a giant leap in his second season, and his actions and intentions this offseason are a good start.
For Jones not only was at Duke this week working out with college coach David Cutcliffe, Giants receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton, and others ( a plan he and Cutcliffe had revealed two weeks ago).
The Giants’ quarterback also said at Eli Manning’s retirement ceremony that he expects to go back to Duke at least once more before training camp.
“I’ll kind of be back and forth a little bit, but I expect I’ll probably go back down there before the end of the offseason,” Jones said on Jan. 24.
Jones’ workouts will only make a difference, however, if he learns how to take better care of the football. And it would really be an accomplishment if Cutcliffe were able to teach Jones in a week or two what Jones could not master in four years as Cutcliffe’s college pupil, including three years as the Blue Devils’ starter.
The Duke head coach recognizes turnovers were Jones’ major flaw coming out of his rookie season, though, and he told SiriusXM NFL Radio in late January that ball security would be an emphasis in these sessions down in Durham, N. C.
Jones fumbled a leaguehigh 18 times in only 12 starts and 13 appearances, losing 11 of those fumbles, while throwing 12 interceptions, as well.
He overcame two lost fumbles in his first career NFL start by throwing two TD passes and rushing for two more scores in a Week 3 comeback win at Tampa Bay. Jones also beat Washington in Week 4 despite two interceptions. Then he threw five TD passes in Week 16 in an overtime win at Washington, with one fumble that Kevin Zeitler recovered.
Still, his turnover rate is not sustainable and everyone including Jones knows it.
He had six games in which he had at least three combined interceptions or fumbles ( not fumbles lost, just fumbles). And Jones and the Giants had an 0- 6 record in those games.
And on the subject of turnovers, don’t be fooled by Mahomes making a Super Bowl comeback — and winning MVP honors — despite two interceptions and two fumbles.
That’s not a “model” any team can follow. Mahomes did the near impossible. According to Elias Sports Bureau, quarterbacks who threw two interceptions and fumbled twice in the same game ( not lost fumbles, just fumbles) posted a record of 3- 16 in the 2019 regular season and playoffs combined. That’s a 15.78 win %. The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen did it ( two INTs, two fumbles lost) in a 17- 16 Week 1 comeback road win over the Jets, overcoming a 16- 0 deficit. The Niners’ Jimmy Garoppolo did it ( two INTs, two fumbles, one lost) in a 24- 20 Week 3 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And Mahomes did it to overcome a 20- 10 fourth quarter deficit in a 31- 20 Super Bowl LIV win over Garoppolo’s 49ers. That’s it.
The only good news in the Giants’ effort to replicate “the Kansas City model” is that for three quarters in Miami last Sunday, Mahomes looked as human as Jones or any young NFL QB. And Jones’ resilience through his rookie struggles provided hope he will bounce back.
Unfortunately, the Giants as an organization are light years behind where the Chiefs were at the juncture Gettleman was trying to mimic KC’s quarterback transition.
So now it all rides on the quarterback they drafted being great.
And at the very least, it’s clear he’s willing to put the work in.