PROTECT FIRST
As Jones returns to Giants, he knows he must stop turning over the football
Daniel Jones is back as the Giants’ projected starting quarterback, and he has two goals for his final two rookie starts: win and protect the ball.
“I think ball security obviously is the big thing,” Jones said Wednesday after practicing in full as QB1. “Making sure I’m doing my part in protecting the ball and that way giving us the best chance to win. The most important thing these last two weeks is to win the games. So my role in that, ball security plays a big part in it.”
Jones, the Giants’ sixth overall pick out of Duke, has 21 turnovers to 20 touchdowns in 11 games and 10 starts. He has fumbled 15 times and lost 10.
His aggressiveness, mobility, toughness and deep passing ability all have been encouraging. But he hasn’t won a start since the Giants (311) last faced Washington (3-11) in Week 4. And turnovers are a major reason why.
“(It’s about) understanding that fine line and being able to play with that,” Jones said. “Being able to protect the ball but also being aggressive is our job, and it’s what we’re trained to do and coached to do. So that balance and that skill and being able to do that is what you have to do to be good at this level. So I’ve worked on it, but I think you have to be able to do both.”
Jones said there is motivation to win and support GM Dave Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur.
“I think we all want to win,” Jones said. “Everyone in this locker room is doing everything we can to win every game. Coaches and management have supported us and believed in us, and we’re certainly gonna do everything we can to win.”
He also recognizes that critics will judge him, ultimately, by wins and losses.
“I know quarterbacks are judged by how many games they win and their win-loss record, so that’s definitely important, but my mindset and everyone’s mindset is to win as a team,” he said. “And we’re only gonna do that as a team. So I’ll try to do my part in making sure the team is ready to play and win the game.”
Jones, 22, was held out of the last two games with a high right ankle sprain. Eli Manning started both games even though Jones appeared capable of dressing both weeks.
Jones certainly could have played last week against Miami, but Manning got the victory sendoff at MetLife Stadium that the organization wanted. And because Jones didn’t even dress, it was Alex Tanney and not the rookie replacing Manning for his fourthquarter curtain call. Jones was taking snaps from firstteam center Jon Halapio to start Wednesday’s practice, though, and then he took most of the first-team reps, per coach Pat Shurmur.
Jones is expected to start head-tohead for the first time against fellow first-round rookie Dwayne Haskins, the 15th overall pick whom the Giants passed over for Jones.
Jones and Haskins already faced each other in Week 4, but it was Haskins’ NFL debut in mid-game relief of Case Keenum. Washington is a runheavy offense under interim head coach Bill Callahan led by Adrian Peterson.
Fumbles have been Jones’ biggest turnover issue this season, but he threw three interceptions in his last appearance against the Packers, so it’s all the above that he must correct.
Jones has completed 228 of 370 passes this season (61.6%) for 2,374 yards (6.4 average), 18 TDs and 11 interceptions. He has rushed 39 times for 241 yards (6.2 ypc) and two TDs.
He has been sacked 33 times and has lost his last eight starts, with a 2-8 record overall.
Shurmur maintained a poker face when asked if Jones was starting Sunday.
“Well, we don’t know yet,” he said. “We just need to see how his ankle responds to the added work he did today, and then we’ll just take it from there. In the event he can’t start, certainly, we have a very experienced backup behind him.”
But Jones said of his ankle: “It’s feeling better. I think I’m progressing well and doing more and more. It feels good, just have to keep it going that way.” He reiterated that last week “I think I felt good through the week,” as well.
The Giants close with a Week 17 home game against the Eagles (7-7).
At the moment, they sit in the No. 2 draft slot ahead of Washington and Miami, which have identical 3-11 records. So Sunday’s result will affect the draft order significantly, but as Jones said, the Giants are trying to win.
If Cincinnati (1-13) loses to the Dolphins this weekend, the Bengals will clinch the No. 1 overall pick.
PRO BOWL? NO BOWL
The Giants have no Pro Bowl selections for the first time since 1996. They are one of only two teams without a Pro Bowl selection this season, including the Dolphins.
“I don’t really have a response to that,” Shurmur said when asked what that says about his roster. “It’s great when players are honored with being a Pro Bowl selection, but beyond that, I don’t have any real response.”