New York Giants' Daniel Jones remains starter despite woeful performance

Kevin Hickey

New York Giants' Daniel Jones remains starter despite woeful performance image

The New York Giants are sticking by Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback.

Following the disastrous 28-6 loss at home against the Minnesota Vikings, the Giants are already facing immense backlash for the incredibly discouraging performance.

Jones is chiefly among the players to blame for the loss as he put together one of the worst outings among NFL quarterbacks in Week 1.

Jones completed 22-of-44 pass attempts (52.4%) for 186 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and a 44.3 passer rating. It was his first full game back after a torn ACL ended his season last November.

According to Next Gen Stats, Jones recorded a -17.3% CPOE (completion percentage over expectation) on 49 dropbacks. That was the worst mark among NFL quarterbacks in Week 1. His -22.5 EPA (expected points added) was the second-worst mark while his -0.46 EPA per dropback was third worst.

Daniel Jones remains at top of Giants depth chart

Despite the brutal showing at home, head coach Brian Daboll confirmed to the media Monday that Jones will remain the starter.

This was to be expected. Unless Jones got hurt during the opener, even an outing like this wouldn't have forced him from the top of the depth chart.

Whether this will remain the case if Jones continues to underperform is another question entirely. The Giants signed Drew Lock this offseason to a one-year deal as insurance for Jones.

However, there's always a chance Daboll looks to save his job if Jones continues a rapid descent.

The Giants are on the road in Week 2 looking to exact some revenge on the division-rival Washington Commanders, and Jones will need to put forth a much better effort if he wants to quell any discussions of a future benching.

Kevin Hickey

Kevin Hickey Photo

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11