Giants' Daniel Jones proves Tuesday's off practice was a fluke with five-touchdown day against Lions defense
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — It didn’t make sense. Not much sense at all. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones had been so good to start the summer. To see him missing open receivers left and right in the first of two joint practices against the Lions? Alarming, yes. But it was more surprising than anything else.
It appears as if Jones simply needed to take one step back to take quite a few more forward. Because he was lights-out on Wednesday.
“He was going crazy,” wideout Isaiah Hodgins said.
Jones completed just five of his 12 passes on Tuesday. He threw five touchdowns on Wednesday. Two of those scores came when repping drills inside the 10-yard line (red zone work). A third came on the first play of a red zone drill when he rolled out right and saw a wide-open Darren Waller. New York’s newly-minted $160 million man finished 11-of-11 drills 12-of-17 passing. He also went 6-of-77 in 7-on-7 drills with another two scores.
Jones’ first touchdown was maybe his best. He found Darius Slayton over the middle for a 25-yard score. The play design helped, but so too did Jones as he looked off both safeties to free his wideout. A player later he again connected with Slayton for a score, although this one was a better catch than throw. Slayton went up over a defender before toe-tapping just inside the back corner.
The Giants have gotten used to a new type of quarterback this summer. Last summer felt like the beginning of the end for Jones — it was when, not if, he’d be replaced by backup Tyrod Taylor. Jones, in Year Two with Brian Daboll, appeared much more comfortable, which led to newfound confidence. The player who led the Giants to an upset victory over the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs, the one GM Joe Schoen committed to with that contract, looked better than ever.
That’s among the reasons Tuesday stood out. It was very, very out of the norm for what had become the norm in East Rutherford. Jones’ new crop of playmakers (Waller, Jalin Hyatt, Parris Campbell and others) did their jobs getting open. Jones simply didn’t hit them.
Wednesday he did.
And, as expected, the Giants offense took off as a result.
The Lions aren’t some scrub competition. That’s what makes the performance of Jones and his teammates noteworthy. Aaron Rodgers’ trade to the Jets has kicked open the door to the NFC North. The Lions are very much in contention to take the crown, if not the favorite. Yet on Wednesday, the Giants had their way with them.
It wasn’t just one player, either. Jones spread the love around, completing his 12 passes to six different guys: Slayton (three), Hodgins (three), Campbell (three), Waller (one), Saquon Barkley (one) and Daniel Bellinger (one). Slayton (two), Campbell (two) and Waller scored the touchdowns.
“Productive,” is the type of practice Daboll said he hoped to get on Wednesday.
Jones instead gifted his coach with overwhelming production.
It’s unclear if the Giants will play any of their starters in Friday’s preseason opener against Detroit. Odds are they won’t dress anyone who really matters.
That’s fine.
Jones on Wednesday eradicated any and all memory of that off day on Tuesday.
The Giants can’t ask for anything more than that from this trip to the midwest.
