Daniel Jones threw two picks in the Giants’ Week 11 loss Monday night.
The Giants desperately needed a win against Tampa Bay Monday night in order to possibly turn a corner. They were 3-6 entering the road matchup but had won two of three — another victory against one of the better teams in the league would’ve been enormous for the squad moving forward.
Given the Buccaneers’ talented offense, Daniel Jones required a notable performance to take pressure off Big Blue’s defense.
However, that was anything but the case in what was a 30-10 beatdown in favor of Tampa Bay.
Whether you’re a Jones apologist or don’t believe he’s the future face of the Giants franchise, you agree his No. 1 on-field issue is his proneness to turning the ball over.
This problem arose Monday night for what felt like the 150th time in the last few seasons.
Even with Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, and Kadarius Toney all healthy and on the field together for the first time since both Barkley and Golladay exited the Week 5 loss, Jones’ mistake-making capabilities were very much present.
The third-year signal-caller threw a pair of picks, one of which was one of the uglier ones some football fans may have ever witnessed. Jones was looking to throw back to Barkley…I think…but placed the ball right in the hands of Bucs defensive lineman Steve McLendon.
Here’s a short excerpt I wrote about Daniel Jones for @SBD’s newsletter.
“You look at his petrified face during a game and you just KNOW he’s going to throw a backbreaking interception or fumble without being touched at a crucial moment.”pic.twitter.com/W7ZpqGqGWa
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) November 23, 2021
It was a bizarre decision from Jones — even if he was trying to throw to Barkley, the fourth-year running back was hardly in the vicinity of the pass. A questionable decision from Jones indeed, but Giants fans are seemingly used to seeing that.
Jones eventually threw his second pick of the game in the fourth quarter when the Giants were down 27-10. The game was essentially out of reach at that point — it was tough to imagine the Giants coming from three possessions down to either take the lead or tie it, especially considering how putrid their offense is. To be honest, it’s tough to imagine the Giants coming back from three possessions down even if it’s the first quarter — the unit still hasn’t found any consistent spark in the Jason Garrett era.
Defensive Woes
The Giants defense needed to dial it up and keep Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, and Leonard Fournette in check.
That didn’t occur whatsoever — it was an embarrassing evening for Patrick Graham’s group, to say the least.
The Giants had to consistently pressure Brady in order to disrupt his rhythm. Allowing the GOAT to have time to operate in the pocket usually spells doom for the opposing defense.
New York, however, racked up just one sack (in the fourth quarter).
Not only did the Giants allow a total of 30 points, but the group additionally let up 402 total yards, 308 of which were through the air.
The lopsided affair when it came to third-down efficiency was also crucial. The Bucs were 6-for-13 on third down while the Giants were 1-for-9 in that same category. The Giants failed to get off the field when it mattered most, which obviously cost them in this blowout.
Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY
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