The New York Giants’ quarterback, who played his second prime time game in just a few weeks, stole the show again for the wrong reasons when the G-Men lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Monday Night Football 25:23.
Just over a week after his 80-yard run against the Philadelphia Eagles ended with Jones stumbling over himself just before the end zone, the Giants’ quarterback threw two interceptions and was just 28 seconds from the tie with a two-point conversion.
The Giants took the lead at halftime, but their lead began to erode at the start of the third quarter when Jones, who scored 25-41 for 256 pass yards and two touchdowns, was intercepted in his second game. With the Giants’ wide receiver, Darius Slayton, wide open on the left sidelines, Jones held the ball too long, allowing Bucs defender Shaquil Barrett to hit it from behind as Carlton Davis intercepted the resulting pass.
On the second pick, the Giants were still two points ahead 9-02 when Jones came under pressure to complete a pass to the Golden Tate instead of just throwing the ball away. While Tampa Bay had to settle for a field goal after the first interception, the second pick finally led to a Bucs touchdown when Tom Brady hit Mike Evans and Tampa Bay took a 22-17 lead.
SMB with the INT! @MrSeanyB1 #GoBucs
ðº: #TBvsNYG on ESPN
ð±: NFL application // Yahoo Sports application: https://t.co/UfeikXPSJW pic.twitter.com/GsO5L4RJ7A
– NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2020
Jones’ two interruptions on Monday night brought his record for the season to a league high – 13 in eight games and 35 interruptions in 20 career games. Only Carson Wentz has turned the ball around more often this season – the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback has a total of 16 interceptions and fumbles.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, Jones has fumbled at least twice in 12 games since the beginning of last season, three times more than any other player in the range.
Eyebrows were raised when the Giants selected Jones with the sixth overall selection of the 2019 draft, and the wisdom of that decision is increasingly being questioned.
Remember when we media people killed Daniel Jones’ pick, and then, inexplicably, after he played well in his *first career game*, there was a whole apology tour of people admitting they had misjudged him?
It was hilarious then and even more hilarious now.
– nick wright (@getnickwright) November 3, 2020
Nobody:
Daniel Jones: pic.twitter.com/NlB7Vs0k98
– Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 3, 2020
Daniel Jones is like Carson Wentz without some talent.
– Max Kellerman (@maxkellerman) November 3, 2020
Jones replaced former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston in the unintended role of the NFL’s main revenue machine, admitting that he needed to improve.
“This is something I need to keep working on and improving. I understand that,” he told ESPN.
Go through Jamei’s… Daniel Jones has regained the revenue throne… 36 in the last two seasons… most in that period. pic.twitter.com/ZjlsOR0oP6
– trey wingo (@wingoz) November 3, 2020
The Bucs’ defense was so prepared that Daniel Jones had not had to face Jameis in practice for all these years.
– Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 3, 2020
The Giants’ head coach, Joe Judge, defended Jones, but admitted that the quarterback made the same mistake over and over again.
“Daniel is our quarterback,” he told ESPN. “We just have to make sure that we are constantly improving everything around him and that we train every player in the same way.
“I think there are a number of situations that are similar. I think I need to improve. I have to learn and correct these mistakes. That’s what I concentrate on and that’s what I have to do.”
I was optimistic when Daniel Jones started this season. But his pocket awareness/decision making/decision making has not improved this season. Really discouraging development.
– Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) November 3, 2020
Daniel Jones reminds me of watching the QB game against Madden. ð
– Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) November 3, 2020
Daniel Jones is Blake Bortles in Cosplay with Eli Manning
– Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) November 3, 2020
To give Jones what he deserves, his two interruptions could have been a footnote if the Giants had been successful with their two-point conversion at the end of the fourth quarter. The second year’s quarterback constructed a brilliant finish, with the Giants converting twice to fourth down before Jones beat Tate to a 19-yard touchdown that put the G-Men within two points of the Bucs, who were 28 seconds from the end of the fourth quarter.
Their two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, however, as Jones was unable to connect with running back Dion Lewis. The officials initially marked the game because of a pass impairment, but then turned the tide when the Bucs took a third consecutive win, while the Giants slipped to 1-7.
