The New York Giants fell to 1-7 on Monday night after yet another heartbreaking primetime defeat. The Giants battled hard and went down to the wire with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ultimately falling short 23-25.
Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones has received the bulk of the blame for the Giants’ Week 8 loss. Jones threw 2 interceptions, committing his 12th and 13th turnovers of the season. In his career, Daniel Jones has turned the ball over 36 times in 21 games. He has been a turnover machine, leading some fans to call for his benching midseason.
Head coach Joe Judge was asked today whether or not he and Jason Garrett have considered benching Daniel Jones. He gave a simple answer: “No.” According to the man himself, Judge has not given any consideration to benching Daniel Jones in hopes that he gains clarity from stepping back from a game.
Should the Giants bench Daniel Jones?
The New York Giants are 1-7 and seemingly out of the playoff race. Head coach Joe Judge made it clear today that Daniel Jones will remain the team’s starting quarterback. Judge said today, “Daniel is our quarterback.” But this might not be favorable news to some fans.
Some fans have seen enough of Daniel Jones. His turnover total through a season and a half is too high for some fans. When the Giants are in close games like they were on Monday night, some fans believe Colt McCoy could pull off an improbable win.
Even if that were true, the Giants should not bench Daniel Jones. Daniel Jones might not be the future of this team but Colt McCoy definitely is not the future of this team. How would the Giants benefit from having Colt McCoy on the field?
If you are a fan that does not believe in Daniel Jones, that is fine. But give him the rest of the season before you make a final decision. Give him these last eight weeks to prove you right or prove you wrong. At the very least, Jones playing these last eight weeks gives the Giants two seasons of game film to evaluate heading into the 2021 offseason. This film will be crucial for the Giants as they evaluate the quarterback position when they are likely to be picking within the top five or ten picks of the 2021 NFL Draft. New York needs to know for certain what they have in Jones before the draft rolls around in April.
Dave Gettleman is also not likely to return as the Giants’ general manager in 2021. The next person in that position will have to make a decision regarding Daniel Jones and a potential draft prospect. The next GM will need to have enough film to evaluate and make certain of his decision in the offseason.
Best case scenario over these final eight weeks: Daniel Jones improves his play, possibly establishing himself as a franchise quarterback or Daniel Jones only gets worse, bottoms out, and the Giants know they need to draft a new signal-caller in April. Worst case scenario: Daniel Jones does not play and the Giants do not know for certain whether or not they should invest in their second first-round quarterback prospect in the last three years.
No brainer, Daniel Jones needs to remain the starter of the New York Giants, regardless of his inconsistent play.