Giants QB Daniel Jones: Sticking neck out depends on situation
Daniel Jones #8 of the Giants runs with the ball against the Houston Texans at MetLife on Sunday, Nov 13, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey Credit: Mike Stobe
Daniel Jones has managed to stay healthy through nine games this season, but sometimes the Giants quarterback presses his luck.
Take last Sunday against the Texans. He took a big hit from Houston’s Tavierre Thomas on an 11-yard scramble for a first down on a third-and-10 in the fourth quarter of a 24-16 victory.
He did not slide.
Asked about that play on Wednesday, the first thing coach Brian Daboll said was, simply, “He got the first down.”
He did, but would the coach prefer that he be more careful about taking such hits?
“I think the situations are all different based on where we’re at and what he needed,” Daboll said. “I trust he’s going to take care of himself, but then there’s an element of competitiveness and making sure we get the first down, too.
“That was a big play for us that he did. He’s done a good job with that. He’s out there with the ball in his hands; you got to react in a split second. You can coach it all you want, but competitive players, athletic quarterbacks – they have to learn how to do that.
“I think Daniel’s done a good job of it and I’m glad he got the first down there.”
Jones said after practice, “I think if it wasn’t third down maybe I would have gotten down a little quicker. But in a situation like that where you’re trying to pick up the first down you have to have awareness of where that line is and do what you have to do to get there.”
Jones missed the final six games of 2021 with a neck injury, then had a procedure on his neck in the offseason that he said was not football-related.
Asked whether he has had any lingering issues with his neck, Jones said, “I really haven’t. I’ve felt good.”
Daboll was asked whether Jones’ neck procedure makes plays such as the one Sunday even more concerning. “No,” he said.
Notes & quotes: OT Evan Neal (knee) returned to practice on a limited basis . . . Daboll said he is “hopeful” about G Shane Lemieux being ready to play this week . . . WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring) was limited in practice. It is not clear whether he would be active against his former team even if healthy. Daboll said he will judge by how the week goes. Asked how Golladay is handling a difficult stretch of his career, Daboll said, “Kenny’s a pro. He comes in, works hard, listens in the meetings, goes through the walkthroughs and practices. He’s been a pro.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
