The New York Giants will start quarterback Daniel Jones in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, despite dealing with an ankle sprain he sustained against the Chicago Bears last week in the team’s third win of the season.
With an evergreen problem at the wide receiver position, Jones has been asked to run the ball far more than most would hope. The more Jones relies on his legs, the more probable it becomes that he suffers an injury, making the Giants’ offensive strategy unsustainable.
However, the fourth-year quarterback has answered the call on the ground this year, rushing for 193 yards and two touchdowns across four games. Jones has already tied his career high of two scores on the ground, and he will likely push well beyond those metrics.
Through the air, though, he’s only thrown for 631 yards and three scores. Either way, he’s well on his way to beating his numbers from the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
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The New York Giants don’t know if Daniel Jones is the future but he’s certainly doing his best:
While most are unsure of his future with the team beyond the current campaign, nobody can question Jones’s toughness, playing through pain and injuries.
Running back Saquon Barkley spoke on Daniel’s resiliency and how they will continue to lean on him.
“Everyone knows how I feel about DJ, just his mentality, his work ethic, type of talent that he is,” Barkley said. “He’s a gritty guy, he’s a tough guy. Yes it does speak volumes when your quarterback has that mindset. We’re going to continue to rock with him and just keep going.”
Per the NY Post
Against the Packers on Sunday morning, a team that currently ranks 30th in run defense, we should expect to see plenty more of Jones and Barkley on the ground, utilizing their gritty style of play to move the chains. Green Bay is expected to return star corner Jaire Alexander, which should boost their defensive quality.
Luckily Jones won’t have an injury designation for the game, indicating he is 100% ready to go. The Giants will need every ounce of his talent to overcome a polarizing Packers squad that is due for a breakout offenses performance.
“Early in the week I started feeling better pretty quickly and realized I was progressing and felt good,” he said.