Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants looks on...

Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants looks on against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Credit: Jim McIsaac

Shea Tierney has worked with and around some pretty good quarterbacks during the past decade-plus as a coach in the NFL and at the University of Alabama, including Michael Vick, Carson Wentz, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen.

So he presumably knows what he is doing — or at least what to look for.

And the Giants’ quarterbacks coach insisted on Friday that he remains bullish on Daniel Jones, from his work ethic to his technique to his mindset, even after a 28-6 loss to the Vikings in the season opener.

The psychology is the easiest part, according to Tierney.

“I don’t ever worry about Daniel’s mindset or anything like that,” he said before practice Friday. “I’ve said this pretty much since I got here with him: Daniel’s the same guy every day. Good, bad, indifferent, he’s the same guy every day.

“He comes ready to work. I knew when we came in Monday that he was ready to go. He had that same look that he always has on Monday, whether it’s good or bad.

“That’s the thing I appreciate about him. That’s why I like being in the meeting room with him.”

Jones threw two interceptions against the Vikings, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in an alarmingly poor performance in his first regular-season game back from tearing an ACL last November.

“I feel like I’ve been doubted plenty for a long time and dealt with that time and time again and done a good job with it,” Jones said Wednesday. “I think my mental toughness is in a good spot, and I’m not concerned about that.”

If Jones does not improve significantly, and soon, the Giants’ season could be lost.

Tierney said he has seen no ill effects physically for Jones from the knee injury.

Shea Tierney, quarterbacks coach speaks during the New York Giants...

Shea Tierney, quarterbacks coach speaks during the New York Giants OTA at their practice facility in East Rutherford, NJ, Thursday, May 30, 2024 Credit: Ed Murray

“Nothing noticeable there,” Tierney said. “He worked hard in the offseason to get to that point, and I think he did that.”

So mostly the goal is better technique and better decision-making.

What about the criticism that Jones has been focusing too much on not making mistakes and thus being tentative?

“I don’t think that’s something that I’ve necessarily seen,” Tierney said. “Our mantra is aggressive, not reckless. We’re going to try and play to that all the time as much as we can.

“So certainly, we don’t want to put the ball in danger, but we want to keep that aggressive mindset.”

Jones made a cameo appearance in Houston in the preseason, but last weekend was his first real game, so Tierney urged patience.

“I felt like for not playing a game in 10 months, he saw things well,” Tierney said. “I thought the decision-making process was good.

“Sometimes you make one faster or slower based on how the defense is. I think it’s just the timing of getting in there with live bullets, getting used to that.”

One game down, 16 to go. Or so the Giants hope.

“Game 1, we got it out of the way,” Tierney said. “We’ll come back. We’ll tweak a couple of things here or there. But I’m confident that we’ve got the right process in what we’re doing and how we’re going to come out.”

Nabers practices

Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers practiced fully Friday, one day after he appeared on the injury report as limited because of knee soreness. Asked what happened to Nabers on Thursday, coach Brian Daboll said: “He was like, ‘Ah, it doesn’t feel right right now.’ So we looked at him. We said, ‘Let’s be safe.’ Looked at it. He came in early [Friday] morning, got treatment. So he’s good to go.”

Blue notes

Linebackers coach Charlie Bullen, who had surgery this week after suffering a fractured leg on the sideline last weekend, will not accompany the team for Sunday’s game at Washington.

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