The New York Giants are hoping to see quarterback Daniel Jones bounce back and turn in a strong performance in Week 2 after an overwhelmingly disappointing outing in the season opener. Kyle Rudolph, a former Giants tight end and teammate of Jones, had a harsh reaction to Jones’ Week 1 performance.
Giants: Kyle Rudolph says Daniel Jones’ confidence appears “completely destroyed”
During an interview with Kay Adams on the Up And Adams Show, former Giants tight end Kyle Rudolph gave his two cents on Daniel Jones’ performance in Week 1, expressing concern over the quarterback’s lack of confidence:
“The Daniel Jones that I saw on Sunday is not the guy that I saw take them to the Divisional Round of the playoffs [in 2022],” Rudolph said to Adams. “It’s not the guy that I played with when I was there for a year.
“His confidence looks completely destroyed and how can you blame him? Every time he goes out there he’s fighting for his life.”
Rudolph was a teammate of Jones’ in 2019, his lone season with Big Blue. Jones was a rookie that year and threw for 24 passing touchdowns, which still remains his career-high single-season total.
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Where Rudolph’s analysis might be off, however, is in his criticism of the Giants’ offensive line. The unit was historically bad in 2023, surrendering a league-high 85 sacks. However, of the five sacks the team surrendered in Week 1, only one was attributed to the offensive line, according to Pro Football Focus. In other words, Jones applied pressure to himself, running into defenders and taking sacks that he did not need to take.
Rudolph played for 12 years in the NFL and spent the majority of his career (10 seasons) with the Minnesota Vikings. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and racked up 4,773 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns in his career.
Jones struggled in Week 1 but is primed to bounce back in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. However, he will need to play with improved confidence and decisiveness as he aims to get the ball out quickly and in the hands of his playmakers, such as rookie WR Malik Nabers. If Jones can get back on track, the Giants could wind up winning a crucial division-rival matchup on Sunday.
