New York Giants: Steve Smith stands behind Daniel Jones but torches the rest of the team

New York Giants, Daniel Jones
Oct 22, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) rolls out to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

In week seven against the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants saw quarterback Daniel Jones come of age. Jones finished the contest with 187 yards and two touchdowns, throwing one interception and fumbling once.

However, the turnovers weren’t his fault by any means, as the interception was a drop by Evan Engram that landed in the hands of an Eagles defender, and his fumble was the equivalent of a late-game hail-mary in an attempt to keep the contest alive.

Jones has a 77.7 overall grade through seven weeks, showing consistent growth as a passer and leading the Giants in the running game. He currently has 296 total yards on the ground, including an 80-yard scamper in which the turf monster got the best of them. So far, I have been impressed with how Jones has developed with the Giants and showed that he could be relied on against Philadelphia. The issue, the pieces around him simply aren’t capable of backing up his inspiring play.

“I think Daniel Jones is a franchise quarterback, I just believe he’s on a piss poor team right now,” former NFL receiver Steve Smith stated regarding the state of the Giants.

The state of the New York Giants is the problem, not Daniel Jones:

I 100% agree with Steve Smith, as Jones continues to prove why he can be a fantastic quarterback in the NFL. While Dave Gettleman might’ve struck gold with the Duke product, the rest of the team is in shambles.

The defense has performed well at times, but they are being forced to rely on undrafted free agents Ryan Lewis and Madre Harper. They need more talent at specific positions, including linebacker and cornerback. They could also use a few more talented pass rushers. I expect to see more Cam Brown in the coming weeks, especially after the Giants traded Markus Golden to the Arizona Cardinals for a sixth-round pick.

Nonetheless, Jones has displayed solid progress in Jason Garrett’s offensive scheme. If he continues to develop the way he has been the last three weeks, we could see an entirely different player by the end of the season.

Most were ready to write him off and head toward the Trevor Lawrence bus, but I think everyone should hold their ground and instill confidence in Daniel.