Unflappable: Can Daniel Jones remain calm in pressure-cooker against Eagles?
In five career starts vs. the Eagles, Giants QB Daniel Jones is 2-3 with a 65.4% completion rate, five touchdown passes, two TD runs and two interceptions. Credit: Getty Images/Elsa
There are times, many of them, when Daniel Jones’ ability to be cool, calm and collected serves him well.
Saturday night likely will qualify as one of those times.
The Giants, in this successful season, have found themselves again, and while coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen deserve much of the credit, Jones does, too.
Jones’ demeanor has been remarkably steady throughout his time as a Giant.
In the 2022 season, his game caught up.
Since he was drafted in 2019 as Eli Manning’s successor, there always was promise when it came to Jones’ abilities. If only he could corral the turnovers. If only his pocket presence could improve. If only he could win.
Check, check and check.
The Giants have their quarterback. Of today and of the future. There’s no mistaking that now.
Saquon Barkley, who is close to Jones, understands as well as anyone how the quarterback has evolved.
“The biggest difference is that you grow, you mature, you have experience,” Barkley said. “I know we don’t have [much] playoff experience, but we’ve been through a lot. Not only myself, but DJ [and] so many guys in the locker room. You can just grow with each other. I would say that’s the biggest thing from Day One to now.
“The leadership, the determination, the play on the field — obviously all that, but I would say the biggest difference is you go through a lot. You can see that. He’s calm, he’s poised. When he’s poised, he’s decisive. He’s doing everything that we need from him. We’re going to need that again [on Saturday night].”
In last week’s Wild Card win over the Vikings, Jones’ first playoff game, he threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 78 yards and led the Giants to their first postseason win since the 2011 season.
Giants co-owner Steve Tisch weighed in after the game, issuing a statement that said, in part: “My family and I are proud of the players, coaches and staff and how everyone throughout the entire organization has worked together to make this a successful season. We are happy for the Giants fans who have endured some tough times with us in recent years. We appreciate their support, passion and enthusiasm.”
Tisch went on to say that while a foundation has been laid, there still is much work to do.
Most urgently, there is Saturday night’s NFC Divisional Round game, the third matchup of the season against the Eagles.
The No. 1 seed has an unrelenting pass rush. The crowd will be hostile. The moment will be enormous.
“I mean, it’s a divisional game, I think that brings some intensity to it,” Jones said. “They’re known for having a good crowd to support their team. We’re prepared for it. We’ve played there before.”
Jones was similarly understated when asked about the statement from Tisch.
“I certainly appreciate the support,” he said, “but [we are] focused on what we’ve got to do this week, what’s ahead of us now, and that’s all that matters. For any of us, it’s what you do next week and with the next opportunity, so that’s what I’m focused on.”
Since he was drafted, Jones’ general interaction with the media has been remarkably consistent. He has an understated and cooperative way about him.
On the field, he has made great strides, particularly in cleaning up turnovers. He has gone from 23 turnovers in his rookie season to eight this season.
As remarkable as that is, it also was necessary.
Based on multiple interviews with Giants players, Jones is highly respected in the locker room, and Barkley is among his close friends.
The biggest concern for the Giants on Saturday night has to be the Eagles’ pass rush. Philadelphia led the league with 70 sacks this season. (Runner-up Kansas City totaled 55.)
“They’ve got good players and they know how to get to the quarterback,” Jones said. “We’ll have a plan for those guys, and we’ve got a lot of confidence in our guys up front. They’ve played really well the whole year and they’ll be ready to go.”
Jones and the Giants will lean on left tackle Andrew Thomas, who allowed three sacks this season, according to Pro Football Focus, to be his steady self. Evan Neal, who has had some rookie growing pains, likely will get some help.
Said Thomas: “I think this past game [at Minnesota], we executed pretty well. That starts with DJ getting the ball to our playmakers and obviously, if we do our job, we see what they can do. We’re just going to do our best to continue that.”
That’s the goal against the Eagles for Jones and his offensive line.
Keeping the Eagles’ defensive front at bay may be the key to the game. Because as long as Jones has room to operate, he’s proved that his game, this season, is plenty good enough.
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
