Pressure is nothing new for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. Off to a 1-2 start to the 2023 NFL season, Jones and the Giants face a pivotal Week 4 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks tonight, but he is not phased by the threat of slipping further in the NFC East.
Giants’ Daniel Jones is Always Composed
ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan touched on Jones’ familiarity with New York’s bright lights and how he compartmentalizes mounting expectations to produce on a weekly basis, including this assessment from Giants head coach Brian Daboll:
“He’s a very composed individual. He doesn’t get high. He doesn’t get low. He’s very steady. He focuses on the things he can work on and meets quite a bit with the other players as well.”
Jones entered the NFL as the No. 3 overall pick out of Duke University and immediately faced backlash from the New York media as a perceived draft blunder over Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
He did not let this onslaught of media scrutiny get the better of him. Jones and the Giants had a losing record in his first three seasons — including a 1-2 start to 2021, but despite a losing culture, Jones’ work ethic helped him elevate his individual game.
Improving his completion percentage year-over-year and emerging as a formidable threat on the ground with 708 rushing yards in 2022 directly led to New York clinching their first playoff berth since 2016.
His collectiveness is something the Giants desperately need at this juncture of the season. They have played sloppy on defense and are battling a chronic tackling issue. The offense has relied heavily on their passing game, and running back Saquon Barkley missing his second straight game does not help their chances of making the Seahawks switch up their defensive coverage.
New York has looked tentative and slow to the punch on individual plays. It will take Jones’ composure and dynamism to weather a midseason storm and remain in the mix in the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles are 4-0, and the Dallas Cowboys are nipping at their heels at 3-1, while the Washington Commanders are a half-game above the Giants at 2-2.