The Giants will move on without Daniel Jones for the third straight week.
Jones (neck) will not play in the Giants’ Week 8 matchup with New York, head coach Brian Daboll said Friday.
Jones hasn’t been able to participate fully since suffering a neck injury in New York’s Week 6 loss at Miami, a game in which Jones was sacked six times before leaving. Veteran Tyrod Taylor has taken Jones’ spot since then, completing 42 of 65 passes for 479 yards and two touchdowns in two starts.
The news is not quite as important as some might think. It’s fair to argue that New York’s offense was more efficient and had a better chance of success with Taylor in the lineup. The Giants were able to hold off the Washington Chiefs in Week 7, with Taylor catching two touchdown passes in the win, and New York is averaging more than 80 yards per game, over 50 more carries per game and 2.3 more big plays in a game with Taylor at quarterback.
Taylor’s introduction to the starting lineup coincided with several offensive line changes (including the addition of veteran Justin Pugh), which appears to have helped New York’s pass defense. Taylor is taking two fewer sacks per game and has a 25.2 higher passer rating than Jones, thanks to Taylor’s ability to avoid throwing interceptions.
It’s a small sample, of course, but the numbers – and the table – don’t lie. Of much greater concern is whether Jones will be able to return sometime in 2023.
Daboll wasn’t entirely sure about Jones’ chances of playing again this season when asked Friday, repeating the same general phrase: “He’s getting better and we’ll see where he’s at next week,” according to the team’s release.
This marks a change in tone for Daboll regarding Jones, as he had initially told reporters that Jones avoided the worst-case scenario when he suffered a neck injury.
New York may simply be taking the cautious route with their QB while enjoying the luxury of having a veteran backup who can get the job done well enough to keep the Giants competitive. But Jones’ status is still worth watching moving forward, especially after he signed a four-year, $160 million contract this offseason.
The Giants and Jets kick off at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday.