N.Y. Giants: Danny Dimes Dinged, Dented, and Down in the Dumps

From the desk:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

SOPHOMORE JINX OR JUST PLAIN BAD

Make that two inexplicable performances; this game and their 36-9 loss earlier this season against the Niners; a pair of games wherein the Giants looked completely out of sorts.  

There is no sugar-coating Sunday's performance.  The offensive line was terrible; Daniel Jones was terrible; the receivers were terrible.  Everyone involved on the offensive side of the ball, coach Garrett included, were terrible.  It's not like the Giants were opposed by the Steel Curtain.  Instead, the Giants' level of ineptness was the story of the day.  The offensive line surrendered a season-high eight sacks for a loss of 64 yards and another eleven QH hits for good luck.  Some of it was their fault; some of it the quarterback's fault.  The main point is three different Cardinals' linebackers accounted for all eight solo QB sacks.  Which is to say, across the board, Giants lineman and the backfield failed at their assignments and secondary assists.  Andrew Thomas endured an awful day, easily his worst game to date.  However, it would be wrong to single him out.  This was a system-wide failure, a short circuit they need to troubleshoot and clear by next week.

Or so we hope ... 

Entering Sunday's game, I suspected Daniel Jones' compromised hamstring would at least provide a test of his pocket passing abilities, and the results are in.  His internal clock clearly remains on snooze.  He was sacked six times.  Not only did Arizona sack Jones from his blindside, but they sacked him from his front side as well.  It seemed to make no difference as both tactics caught Jones in the same clueless state of mind.  When not being driven into the ground, Jones attempted a season-low 21 passes resulting in a season-low eleven completions.  His 127 passing yards mark his second-lowest output of the season.  Jones also fumbled three more times, twice resulting in turnovers.  On one occasion, he fumbled without so much as being touched (very reminiscent of being tackled from behind by the invisible man).

Truth be told, Daniel Jones has demonstrated the least improvement this season.  Last season he threw for 3,027 yards in twelve starts (and one relief appearance).  Five times he eclipsed 300 yards passing and closed out the season with two such games in a row.  This season he has so far failed to throw for 300 yards through the same number of games.  His 2,462 yards passing are 565 yards shy of last year's total with just three games left in the season.  He would need to average 188 yards per game to merely match last year's output.  Meanwhile, he has so far averaged 205 yards per game but failed to eclipse at least 200 yards passing in five of twelve games.

In the absence of any real improvement or progression to speak of, sophomore QB Daniel Jones, perhaps more than any player on the team, needed this last quarter-season to validate his claim as the starter and prove he is not in regression.  But he entered Sunday's game with a barking (right) hamstring, and now word comes down he is experiencing an extremely sore left ankle.  What is a beleaguered quarterback, head coach, and general manager to do?  

If nothing else, luck appears to be on Daniel Jones' side.  He'll be playing feeling less than 100%, but it's improbable Dave Gettleman selects another quarterback in next year's draft.

Therefore, Jones has three more games left to steer this narrative in a more positive direction.