Daniel Jones gets big assist from Giants' QBs room

LANDOVER, MD. — Daniel Jones finds a specific comfort when he walks into the Giants' quarterbacks room. 

“I think it’s helpful to have guys who want to be in there, who want to stay late and study,” Jones said. “I’ve been fortunate to be in a lot of good rooms, with those type of guys. When you’re done for the day and guys are still hanging around, helping you think through things, you appreciate that.”

Those guys besides Jones include backup Tyrod Taylor, third-stringer Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.  

“Tyrod’s been around a lot, he has a ton of experience, has seen a lot,” Jones said. “Davis has been in this offense for a long time and knows it really well. He was helpful [when I was] learning the system during training camp, being able to reference some of his experiences in Buffalo and things that worked for him there. It was helpful.”

Jones added, “It’s been a good room. It’s been fun to work with them.”

There was a period of adjustment.

“Obviously it takes time to build a relationship where we can be open and talk,” Taylor said. “We’ve built that. I don’t approach it gently. I speak my mind, so does Daniel, so does Davis. I think we all expect that. We’re all here trying to accomplish one goal, and that’s to win.”

Webb believes it has taken Jones time to be truly himself, even in the quarterbacks room.  

“Sometimes Daniel won’t tell people how he’s feeling,” Webb said, “so I have to get him out of his comfort zone. [I’ll ask him], 'Do you really like this play? Are you comfortable with these concepts?' ”

If that seems like an overreach by Webb, that is not the intention. As Taylor said: “Remember, Davis has known these coaches for four years.”

Webb’s goal in those moments, he said, “is to facilitate the best line of communication for Daniel with the coaches. Which ideally would lead to better results for the Giants.

(Webb is the son of a football coach and someday is likely to follow in his father’s footsteps. The Bills asked Webb to stay in Buffalo for the 2022 season and join the coaching staff. That may come in time, but for now, Webb still wants to play.)

Asked if he is simply trying to assure an open line of communication, Webb said no.

“The best,” he said. “The best line of communication. I try to make it the best.”  

For only the second time this season, Webb was elevated from the practice squad for Sunday night’s game against Washington.

Under first-year head coach Brian Daboll and his staff, Jones is having his best NFL season.

Drafted in 2019, his rookie year included 19 fumbles; this season, he’s fumbled five times.

His other numbers show growth: He has thrown 12 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. And he could lead the Giants to their first winning season since 2016 – and only their second since 2011.

Jones, 25, has made strides this season as the Taylor and Webb provide support. Which manifests itself in any number of ways.  

Taylor has played for six different NFL teams and has played in 78 games with 53 starts. He could still be a starter in this league, and he might be again.

“ You can set your watch by Tyrod every day,” Tierney said. “He’s consistent. He’s going to be in there at 6 a.m. working out. He’s humble, smart and has a really good perspective on things. He’s got a really good view of the overall situation.

"From Tyrod, you know [his input] is coming from a really good place.”

Said Taylor: “I think all three of us have come together. We’re good friends on the field, off the field. And just have an open forum. No one hides anything. We all trust one another. We compete on the practice field; I’ve always thought that a competitive atmosphere creates good energy in the room.

“And,” Taylor added, “I also think it’s good for the rest of the team to see that.”

Notes & quotes: Jones entered Sunday’s game trying to change one trend. He has started his career with an 0-9 record in prime-time games . . . On Saturday, indications were that the Giants would monitor how DL Leonard Williams was feeling (neck). The answer was affirmative. After missing last week’s game against Philadelphia, Williams was active Sunday night . . . G Ben Bredeson was activated off injured reserve Sunday night. Bredeson started the first seven games of the season at left guard. He was expected to start . . . Landon Collins was activated from the practice squad and is expected to play against his former team. During warmups, Collins caught up with several of his former Washington teammates. Collins was drafted by the Giants in 2015 but left in free agency in 2018. He spent the 2019-22 seasons with Washington . . . Commanders defensive end Chase Young seemed to be trending toward making his 2022 season debut against the Giants on Sunday night. Instead, he was inactive. He is working his way back from a torn ACL last November.  

By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

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.