Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel not only resolutely put any New York Giants comeback hopes to rest when he intercepted quarterback Daniel Jones in Sunday’s season opener, he provided a blunt reminder that the Giants have far more questions than answers at the quarterback position.
Just one brutal game into a brand new season that was supposed to be filled with hope, those questions feel painfully familiar: Can the Giants win, routinely, with Jones under center? Will he ever rein in his mistakes with the ball or learn how to limit negative plays? Can the Giants work around his deficiencies?
Of course, these questions lead to the bigger one, the one about his standing as the team’s starting QB. That question was asked on Sunday. And despite Jones (22-for-42 for 186 yards and two INTs) suffering through one of his worst games in recent memory — by EPA/Dropback (-0.38), his play during Sunday’s 28-6 loss at MetLife Stadium was actually the fourth-worst performance of his career — Giants coach Brian Daboll said he did not consider taking Jones out of the game.
“We’re going to watch everything, (but) that’s not in my mind,” Daboll said when asked if he’d consider a quarterback change upon reviewing film from the loss.
Jones, who started his first game since tearing his ACL in November, was similarly focused when asked about his concerns about being benched.
“I’ve got to play better. I know that,” the quarterback said. “And I’m focused on doing that.”
The questions about Jones’ job security have been heard around New York since, well, not that long after the team drafted him No. 6 overall in 2019. However, after leading the Giants to the playoffs in a prove-it 2022 season, Jones scored a huge payday from a front office that was hoping those questions would finally go away.
But Jones played in just six games last season as he dealt with a neck injury and then tore his ACL. He looked shaky, to say the least, during his return in the preseason, and some of the same problems — decision-making, ball security, uneasiness in the pocket — that haunted him then reared their heads on Sunday. Jones threw two interceptions in his preseason debut and tossed two more on Sunday, including the Van Ginkel pick six late in the third quarter.
After the Giants defense forced a three-and-out, Jones and the offense took the field at their own 17-yard line looking to make it a one-possession game after having struggled to string any drives together. Jones took the snap, turned to the right and threw a screen pass intended for receiver Wan’Dale Robinson on the very first play of the drive. Van Ginkel jumped in front of the pass before the ball even had a chance to fly remotely close to Robinson.
.@AndrewVanGinkel ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/XFx58RvTIt
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024
That’s when the exodus at MetLife began. Hordes of Giants fans headed up the stairs to the stadium exits after the play. Those who stayed weren’t shy about letting Jones and the offense have it on the next drive. They booed the Giants before eventually letting the Vikings fans in attendance take over. By the start of the fourth quarter, you could easily hear Vikings “Skol” chants ringing throughout the stadium. And by the end of the game, there were more purple and yellow jerseys left in the stands than the blues, reds and whites of the home team.
“I think it’s our job to give (the fans) something to cheer about and to play well, to execute,” said Jones, who threw his second interception late in the third quarter after the Giants had mounted their longest drive (40 yards) of the game. “We take that seriously. They expect us to play well, we expect to play well. We’ve got to do that.”
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/8ujKq0pCXc
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024
To add insult to fans’ suffering Sunday was the flood of reminders of how far away the current team has gotten from the franchise’s prestigious past. The Giants are celebrating their 100th season, and halftime included a ceremony honoring the team’s top 100 players, which featured plenty of cheers for the team’s all-time greats.
But the Giants offense didn’t get nearly anywhere close to that level of love from its crowd as Sunday afternoon wore on. They didn’t deserve it.
Jones looked flustered and uncomfortable in the pocket despite the Vikings not necessarily attacking relentlessly with their blitzes. Still, Jones took five sacks and was hit 12 times, tied for the fourth-most of his career, according to TruMedia. Sunday was the third time in Jones’ career that he was sacked at least five times and intercepted at least twice. Both of the other games came last season before his ACL injury.
“I’ve got to do a good job of staying in there when it (the pocket is) good and moving and finding the soft spot,” Jones said of the pressure produced by the Vikings. “That’s something I’m always working on.”
The Giants spent a considerable amount of capital this offseason revamping the offensive line after a historically poor performance from the unit derailed the offense last year. Only two of last year’s starters, LT Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz, returned as starters this year, as three new faces were meant to upgrade the group.
Compared to last season, the unit played OK, but that’s not saying much.
“I think as an offensive line, we could have gave Daniel more time and more confidence in the pocket,” new right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said. “This defense is really good at throwing pressure when you least expect it. And so we could have prepared a little bit better and just gave Daniel some more time to, like I said, be confident in the pocket. … We need to be better for him.”
Jones’ pass-catchers also didn’t provide as much help as you’d hope. There were at least five drops Sunday, including one by rookie first-round pick Malik Nabers. Nabers, who was heavily targeted throughout the preseason, didn’t see his first target until the Giants’ third possession. He finished the day with five catches for 66 yards on seven targets.
LEEEEEEEEK 🔥
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/N1YkHoKLUk
— New York Giants (@Giants) September 8, 2024
“(I just need to) look over the film, see what ways we can give me the ball in space,” Nabers said. “Daniel said he was trying to give me the ball. He saw a lot of people in his face. I mean, I cannot control that. They were trying to give me the ball, but stuff was not working right, so we just have to fix that up.”
That’s a good summary from the rookie. Not a lot of stuff was working right for Jones and the Giants offense. Can they fix it? It feels like we’ve been asking that question for a long time.
