The New York Giants have a new hero and his name is Daniel Jones as the rookie quarterback leads the team to an 18-point comeback win over Tampa in his first start on Sunday.
Daniel Jones needed a big comeback — and some help from the Buccaneers kicker—to pull out a victory in his first NFL start on Sunday.
Jones’ seven-yard touchdown run with 1:16 remaining in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as the Giants came back from an 18-point halftime deficit to beat Tampa Bay 32-31 on the road and earn Jones his first win.
It wasn’t a great start for the Giants, who were victimized by Mike Evans for three touchdown catches in the first half and trailed 28-10 heading to the locker room. The rookie Jones, who was named as the starter in place of Eli Manning during the week, found himself with the opportunity to be the hero in the second half.
On the first play of the third quarter, Jones ran a read-option play and threw a pass to tight end Evan Engram. Engram caught the ball at the Giants’ 35-yard line and ran the rest of the way for a 75-yard touchdown, the first touchdown pass of Jones’ young career. The next drive, Jones threw a perfect pass to a double-covered Sterling Shepard in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown to bring the Giants back to within three points.
The Giants still trailed when they got the ball back with 3:16 left in the fourth quarter. It was the type of situation Manning thrived in, including in two Super Bowl victories. The Giants quickly found out how their new quarterback performs when the pressure is highest.
Jones found Shepard wide open down the left sideline with just over two minutes left for a 36-yard gain that brought the Giants to the Tampa Bay 12. Four plays later, facing a 4th-and-5 from the seven, Jones saw a gaping hole open in the Buccaneers line and took off for the end zone, walking in untouched for his second touchdown run of the day.
Nothing has come easily for the Giants this season, though, and it was Evans again who looked to steal the victory away. The Buccaneers receiver caught a 44-yard pass from Jameis Winston with 34 seconds left to bring Tampa Bay all the way down inside the Giants’ 10. Matt Gay needed only a 34-yard field goal to give Tampa Bay the win, but he pushed it wide right.
Jones instantly became the hero of the Big Apple. The Giants’ first-round pick from April’s draft was widely ridiculed after the selection by fans who felt the team reached for a mediocre quarterback. Jones proved those doubters wrong on Sunday, and by the end of the game he even inspired his own Twitter trend, “Danny Dimes.”
This is the first time the Giants have won a game that Manning didn’t start since Oct. 31, 2004, when Kurt Warner was the starter. Jones finished the game 23/36 for 336 yards and two touchdowns.
“Danny Dimes” also excelled on the ground, rushing for two touchdowns to go with his two scores through the air. How many times did Manning rush for two touchdowns in a game in 232 career starts with the Giants? That would be none. Manning, in fact, never even had two in a season.
The 38-year-old Manning had missed just one game since taking over halfway through his rookie season in 2004. But the Giants have made the playoffs once since winning the Super Bowl following the 2011 season, and after starting 0-2 this season, head coach Pat Shurmur decided to make the move to Jones.
It was a promising start for the sixth-overall pick on Sunday, and if he keeps it up, those same fans who booed him on draft day won’t be able to complain anymore.