New York Giants QB Daniel Jones has improved throughout his NFL career, particularly under the tutelage of third-year head coach Brian Daboll. Jones looked like a different QB in 2022, using his versatility as a pocket passer and outside the pocket as a runner.
So far in 2024, Jones is the only QB this season with consecutive games of 20+ rushing yards and 2+ passing touchdowns. It’s the third such streak of his career — he’s never done it in three straight games. He has a chance to do it in prime time vs. the divisional rival Dallas Cowboys.
However, Jones has the label of a player who struggles in prime time. Is there any validity?
Why Does Daniel Jones Struggle in Prime Time?
If you include playoff appearances, Jones is 1-12 in prime-time games. Jones owns the worst prime-time record of any QB since 1970 (minimum 10 starts).
The Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract extension. With the extension and the commitment from the franchise, expectations are heightened. Jones and Daboll combined to get the Giants to the playoffs in 2022, but an appearance in the playoffs is no longer the standard.
The 6-11 2023 season was forgettable, and now Jones and Daboll face more pressure than ever to produce in 2024. A 1-2 start has created some early adversity.
To be fair to Jones and the Giants, his prime-time performances should have additional context. The Giants have been the underdogs in all but one of these games. New York was heavy double-digit underdogs in five of those contests.
These details suggest what you may have expected: The Giants are playing good teams in prime time.
Daniel Jones in primetime is 1-12 SU, including 0-5 SU at home per @Bet_Labs.
Danny Dimes is 1-4 ATS in home primetime games.@Giants +1.5 vs Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/hrkANydTUg
— John Ewing (@johnewing) October 2, 2023
Yet, when you play the QB position, you get too much credit for the wins and too much blame for the losses. But don’t expect the negative prime-time narrative to change around Jones until he wins more prime-time games.
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Can you question Jones’ supporting cast over time, perhaps a few pieces short of a dangerous group? Sure. The injuries certainly haven’t helped either — football is a precision-timing-based sport and the gaps caused from injuries are natural obstacles in development.
At the end of the day, adversity can be easily forgotten with wins. Just don’t expect any mercy on social media if the pattern maintains Week 4 vs. the Dallas Cowboys.