The first three offensive series in Daniel Jones’ first game back since recovering from a torn ACL could not have gone much worse.
During Saturday’s 28-10 loss in Week 2 of the preseason to the Houston Texans, Jones was picked off on consecutive possessions — an inauspicious start to a 2024 campaign that is quite literally a make-or-break one. The Giants hold an option in the 27-year-old’s contract at the end of this season and if he cannot prove that he is the bona fide No. 1 option, his days at MetLife Stadium will more likely than not be finished.
“A little shaky to start,” Jones said. “Obviously, the first quarter didn’t go how we wanted.”
With the ball inside his own 10-yard-line during New York’s second possession of the day, Jones dropped back inside his own end zone, was met by pressure, and recklessly floated a pass into the arms of Houston cornerback Jalen Pitre, who returned it five yards for a touchdown.
On the next possession, he tried to hit Jalin Hyatt down the right sideline for a deep connection, but Houston’s Derk Stingley Jr. stepped in front and picked it off at the 1-yard-line.
“Bad decision and a bad throw,” Jones said. “I think in a situation like that, obviously you’re being tackled in the end zone, so intentional grounding there is a safety. So, just making sure you dirt (throw) it at his feet, so there’s no chance for intentional grounding. Obviously can’t take a sack there in the end zone.”
“[You] don’t give yourself much of a chance when you turn the ball over,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. “Obviously something we need to improve on.”
Jones rebounded, however. On the Giants’ next drive to open up the second quarter, he hit veteran receiver Darius Slayton for a 44-yard reception, which set up a Devin Singletary one-yard scoring rush to tie the game at seven apiece.
Following a quick Texans reply to go up a touchdown, Jones completed passes to Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, and the promising rookie Malik Nabers to set up a field goal to make it a four-point game with 21 seconds to go in the half — his final contributions of the game.
In total, he completed 11-of-18 passes for 138 yards. Five of those connections came with Nabers, which compiled 54 yards in the process and showed the continuation of a solid relationship being built between passer and receiver.
After failing to catch a pass in New York’s preseason opener, Nabers was far more relevant after working through an ankle injury scare earlier in the week.
“We’re on the same page,” Nabers said of his relationship with Jones. “The chemistry is there. There’s still a lot of stuff to clean up, but the chemistry is there out on the field.”
