FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 29: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants hikes the football off during a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Daniel Jones played late in their season-opening loss, but the New York Giants aren’t ready to turn things over to their rookie quarterback.
It was easy to see a loss coming for the New York Giants in Week 1, and they were indeed overmatched as the Dallas Cowboys beat them 35-17 on Sunday. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones saw some action on the team’s final drive, completing three of four passes for 17 yards with a lost fumble.
Pulling Eli Manning for Jones was a clear acknowledgement of garbage time on Sunday, and not necessarily an indicator a change of the guard under center is coming for New York. But head coach Pat Shurmur was naturally asked about the possibility after the game, and more specifically he was asked about a timeline for when Jones might start.
“Today was an obvious situation in my mind to put him in the game and that’s it,” “I’m not going to play your hypothetical game.”
To be fair, Manning was not the reason the Giants were beaten so soundly on Sunday. He went 30-for-44 for 306 yards (a shade under seven yards per attempt) with one touchdown and no interceptions. He was sacked once, and lost a fumble.
A report last week from Ralph Vacchiano of SNY suggested the Giants will start Manning as long as they’re in the playoff race. That’s not expected to be the case for long, but the organization’s commitment to the two-time Super Bowl MVP goes all the way to the owners’ suite. When it comes down to it, if and when he wants to do it, a decision to bench Manning is not entirely in Shurmur’s hands.
It’s only a matter of time before Jones starts games this season, whether Manning puts up good numbers or not. But it won’t be happening in Week 2, and perhaps not for a while if the Giants really cling to mathematical playoff contention.