New York Giants May Not Have A QB Controversy But It Might Benefit Them If They Did
Earlier this week, amid only mildly believable rumors the Giants might consider offers from teams calling to trade for Saquon Barkley, coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen talked to the running back to ease his mind.
The message was clear from the club's brain trust that the Giants are not interested in trading their best offensive player.
Barkley thought about that Sunday when he fumbled during a 14-7 victory over the Washington Commanders. He thought how the club's fan base might react if the turnover had led to a loss.
"If we would've lost the game, they would've shipped my (@ss) out of here," Barkley joked.
Funny. But that's how it is in New York. And, frankly, that's how it is throughout the NFL. Yesterday's franchise player can be today's trade bait. Yesterday's treasure can be considered today's trash.
Which leads me to Daniel Jones.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 22: Tyrod Taylor #2 of the New York Giants calls a play during the game against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on October 22, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants beat the Commanders 14-7. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
Giants Turned To Tyrod Taylor Amid Jones Injury
He's the Giants starting quarterback who has not started the past two games because he's nursing a lingering neck injury. The injury has reportedly improved but not to the point Jones has been cleared to return.
So the Giants, waiting for that moment when Jones can return, have started Tyrod Taylor at quarterback instead.
And Taylor lost his first start in a tight game against the Bills last week. Taylor, who had not started a game since 2021 with Houston, looked understandably rusty, especially during a goal line operation just before halftime of that Buffalo game.
But then Sunday arrived and Taylor looked pretty darn good in his second start. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 279 yards and threw two touchdowns without an interception.
Taylor even got the Giants in the end zone in the first quarter, which has been a rarity for the Giants this season.
"Tyrod had a good game, played well, took care of the ball, made good decisions, threw the ball where it was supposed to be thrown," Daboll said.
"We left stuff out there. No question about it. We left stuff out on the field. We left points out on the field, like you said, the missed field goal, the fumble in the red zone, but I'll take the result."
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 22: Tyrod Taylor #2 of the New York Giants calls a play during the game against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on October 22, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants beat the Commanders 14-7. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
Taylor Has Gotten Better Results Than Jones
The result is Taylor is 1-1 as the Giants' starting QB. And Jones is 1-4.
Taylor gave Giants fans their first home victory in a season the club had been averaging 1.5 points per game at home with Jones at quarterback.
So, of course, the question should be asked in New York and anywhere else in the NFL: Has Taylor made an argument for remaining the quarterback even when Jones gets cleared from his injury?
"I would just say," Daboll answered, "Tyrod had a good game this game and he's a true pro and I'm glad we’ve got him."
Did you hear a definitive no there? Did you hear a full-throated commitment to Jones there? I didn't. So let's do this:
Did you hear even a suggestion Jones will definitely be the Giants quarterback when he's healthy? Because that's what one would expect if you paid attention from January to the first week of September.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 18 Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants talks with quarterback Daniel Jones #8 before a game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium on September 18, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Giants Committed To Daniel Jones, Right?
During that time, the Giants simply fell in love with Jones. They loved he found clarity in one playoff game against a terrible Minnesota defense that days later fired its defensive coordinator. And those three hours of clarity last January, regardless of the egg Jones laid the next week against Philadelphia, got him paid.
The Giants signed Jones to a four-year contract worth $160 million to be their unquestioned starting quarterback going forward. The problem for the Giants is time did not stop at the first week of September. It marched on and proceeded to trample Jones.
He threw two interceptions in a season-opening blowout loss to Dallas. And that marked a streak of four consecutive games in which Jones threw at least one interception.
For the season Jones has two TD passes and six interceptions. He's simply not developed the way the Giants hoped or expected. He's actually regressed. He is the guy everyone saw against the Eagles and definitely not the guy we saw against the Vikings.
And to be fair, Jones struggled behind an offensive line that has been makeshift and ravaged by injuries. But Taylor played behind that same ravaged and injury plagued line the past two weeks.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 02: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants is hit by Cameron Young #93 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at MetLife Stadium on October 02, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Taylor Gets Results Despite OL Injuries
On Sunday, for example, the Giants were without their two starting tackles. They spent much of the week mixing and matching lines in practice before deciding the lineup for the game.
And despite this Taylor threw as many touchdowns in this game as Jones has thrown all season.
Now, it is improbable the Giants are turning away from Jones and to Taylor. Not even Taylor is expecting that.
"That’s up to coach," he said. "Obviously, if DJ (Daniel Jones) is healthy, he’s a captain on our team,
captain of our team, a leader on the offense and I am here to support in any way that I can."
So Jones likely remains the future because his contract pretty much demands that. But maybe, just maybe, the Giants recognize that while Taylor takes a lot of sacks, he throws very few interceptions.
Jones, meanwhile, has been taking sacks and throwing picks. So maybe Jones needs to sit and watch for a minute. Maybe the clarity he found against that atrocious Vikings defense in the playoffs can return later this season.
What can the move hurt a team that is 2-5 and just won a game?