EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 10: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants passes against the New York Jets during their game at MetLife Stadium on November 10, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Daniel Jones has shown signs of life for the Giants this season, but if he wants to become a quality quarterback he must learn to protect the football.
The Giants’ future largely revolves around how good of a quarterback Daniel Jones can become. His future as a signal caller might be defined by his ability to limit turnovers. In particular, the rookie needs to stop treating the football like its radioactive waste when he’s in the pocket.
Jones didn’t start the season as New York’s starter, but that hasn’t prevented him from leading the NFL in fumbles. Jamal Adams ripped the ball away from the former Duke star in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jets and turned it into a touchdown for his team. Unfortunately for Pat Shurmur and his coaching staff, Jones giving the ball away to one of the best safeties in the league is far from an isolated incident.
It actually marked the 13th time Jones has put the ball on the ground this season. Combine that with the eight interceptions he’s thrown and you get a total of 21 turnovers in just eight games and change. That’s obviously a huge issue for an offense that’s trying to find a way to produce points on a consistent basis.
In fairness to Jones, some of his struggles can be linked to the lack of protection he’s receiving from his offensive line. Saquon Barkley’s inability to pick up the blitz has also put his quarterback into some tough spots. With all that being said, it’s still imperative for Jones to simply get stronger with the football when he’s moving around the pocket.
Experience should help him improve in that regard. Some extra time in a professional weight room could also be a positive. When you watch Jones play it’s clear he lacks the physical strength that some of his peer quarterbacks possessed when they entered the league. That, of course, is something that should be correctable as time goes on.
The Giants can’t just wait until the offseason arrives to correct the problem though. An immediate emphasis must be put on Jones protecting the ball in practice. The organization can’t afford for this to become a mental issue for their quarterback moving forward. Every defense in the league is going to be hunting fumbles when they play the Giants. If Jones keeps giving it away it’s easy to envision a scenario where it really derails his career.
New York has plenty of problems to deal with, but helping Jones protect the ball must be their first priority as the season plays out. Everything other than the progression of Jones at quarterback is just noise for the Giants in 2019.