New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was benched in the fourth quarter of last week’s 28-3 blowout loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles, but ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that a similar outcome isn’t likely as he won’t be on a short leash Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Giants’ Daniel Jones has struggled of late
After performing better following a dreadful Week 1, Jones and the Giants offense have fallen flat. They have scored a total of 10 points over their last two games and have dropped all four home games this season.
Jones was benched for veteran quarterback Drew Lock in the fourth quarter last week after a rough performance offensively. Jones finished the game 14-for-21 on his pass attempts and threw for just 99 yards. He was also sacked seven times, which is noteworthy given that this was the first game without Andrew Thomas at left tackle.
Lock came in the game but did very little to make a hard case for a potential starting job going forward, as he went just 3-for-8 on his passes for six total yards. The Giants’ quarterback problems continue to be an essential part of their offensive struggles.
New York ranks 24th in passing yards per game with 189.1 and have thrown just six touchdowns, the second-fewest in the NFL this season. Raanan added in his report that even though the players haven’t pushed for a quarterback change despite the struggles, some did note that if Tyrod Taylor was still with the team that maybe things would be different.
Taylor was the Giants’ backup for two seasons before signing with the New York Jets this offseason. In those two seasons with the Giants, Taylor appeared in 14 games and made five starts and threw six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Jones will be up for a big challenge against an elite Steelers pass rush
The challenge for Jones and the Giants doesn’t get easier, as the Steelers are one of the more imposing defenses in the NFL, led by superstar T.J. Watt. Pittsburgh has the highest pass-rush grade by PFF with it being 86.9. With no Thomas on the front lines, it will be much tougher for Jones to operate inside the pocket.
How Jones performs Monday night could determine the team’s quarterback plans for the future. With the Giants sitting in last place of the NFC East with a 2-5 record, their playoff chances are very slim, but a win over a good Steelers team can keep them feeling optimistic about making a late season push.