When the New York Giants drafted Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, nobody imagined him being a rushing quarterback. However, on Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week three of the regular season, Jones earned his first start, and he turned some heads with his blazing speed.
He picked up two rushing touchdowns on for carries for 28 yards. The historic win for the Giants and Jones marked the turn of the page and the beginning of a new era. With Eli Manning sitting quietly on the bench watching as the 22-year-old quarterback from Duke carried his team down the field to score in the waning moments of the game, the spotlight finally changed directions.
Jones finished the night with 23 completions on 36 attempts for 336 yards and two passing touchdowns. Altogether, he earned four touchdowns, helping the Giants to a 32-31 win over Tampa Bay. This was the most the Giants offense has scored all season, all without Saquon Barkley who left with a high ankle sprain in the second quarter.
The Giants finally seem to have a quarterback that can compensate for the lack of quality on the defensive side of the ball and at the wide receiver position. Not that Manning wasn’t capable, but age has finally taken its toll on the veteran. There is reason to be excited about Jones and his arm strength, but his legs broke a few records for him on Sunday.
Just how fast was New York Giants rookie QB running?
According to Next Gen Stats, Jones reached 19.47 mph on his 7-yard touchdown run. He is now responsible for two of the fastest speeds achieved by a quarterback this season. Both of his runs broke 19 mph, and only Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson have faster-run rates.
Daniel Jones reached 19.47 MPH on this 7-yard TD run. Jones is now responsible for two of the FASTEST speeds reached by a QB this season:
Lamar Jackson: 19.78 MPH
Kyler Murray: 19.72 MPH
Daniel Jones: 19.51 MPH
Daniel Jones: 19.47 MPH#NYGvsTB | @Giants pic.twitter.com/MlnEVd7iGi— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 22, 2019
We all knew Jones was capable of caring the football on his legs, but he’s a primary pocket passer that keeps his eyes downfield and looks to pass before even considering a run. However, on 4th-and-5 in the fourth quarter with the Giants needing a touchdown to take the lead, Daniel utilized his legs and showed why he could be the future for the Giants moving forward.