“I’ve been doubted plenty for a long time.”
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones did not play well Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, leading to a torrent of criticism and questions about how much longer he will keep his starting job.
On Wednesday, Jones continued to express confidence.
“There’s certain things that come up that need to be corrected, so I’ll look to do that,” Jones said. “I think I’m confident in my ability to go out and execute, and I look forward to doing that on Sunday (against the Washington Commanders).
“I feel like I’ve been doubted plenty for a long time and dealt with that time and time again and done a good job of it.”
Head coach Brian Daboll announced on Monday that the embattled Jones would continue to be the starting quarterback. Is he playing for his job in Week 2?
“I’m playing to win games, I’m playing to lead the team, lead the team to score points and win games,” Jones said. “And that’s always been my focus, and I know I can do that, I gotta do it well.
“I’m focused on doing my job and playing well, and I’m confident I can do it.”
Daboll deflected when asked if he saw a quarterback playing with confidence against the Vikings.
“We’ve played one game, so no one did good enough that first game,” Daboll said. “So again, team sport and we’ll work on fixing it.”
Fans at MetLife Stadium began booing Jones and the Giants’ offense after just three unsuccessful plays on Sunday. Jones has been taking heat from several directions, including media, fans, and other players.
“I’ve said a number of times I’m concerned about the people in this building,” Jones said. “I think I’ve got plenty of help, plenty of good coaching and good teammates to work with here. That’s why I’m focused on them. I’ve got people I trust who I have relationships with, who can help me out.
“But in terms of other people and what they have to say or what they think from their perspective and what their observations are is really not very important to me.”
Daniel Jones on the post-game harassment he got from fans on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/aPVDVcNggb
— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) September 11, 2024
Jones was harassed by irate fans as he left the stadium on Sunday and headed to his car.
“They’re upset and frustrated and we’re frustrated, too. I understand that,” Jones said. “I’m not easily offended. I understand how it works. I know I’ve got to play better. We’ve all got to play better.”
Only one quarterback in the league averaged less than the 4.5 Intended Air Yards per pass that Jones averaged against the Vikings.
Jones said he knows there were “missed opportunities” vs. the Vikings and “certain decisions here and there” where he could have been better.
Jones talked about “playing quicker, being cleaner with my feet” and about “seeing it and trusting it.”
This was Jones’ first regular-season action since tearing his ACL last season.
“I think just playing and playing fast, trusting it,” Jones said. “I think those are things you try to practice through the week. And getting out there, getting to a rhythm, getting to a flow and getting going.”
Giants QB Daniel Jones on dealing with pressure. pic.twitter.com/hO8dTPCCdz
— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) September 11, 2024
Pro Football Focus charged Jones with creating three of the five sacks he took against the Vikings. He was asked if there is a cumulative effect of taking a lot of hits during a career.
“In the NFL, there’s good pass rushers and defenses are schemed up to affect the quarterback. So, part of my job is being able to deal with that, move, find the space,” he said. “When there’s pressure in my face, I stand in and deliver it. Yeah, I feel like I’ve done that throughout my career and I’m continuing to work on that and improve that.”
Jones talked about his balance after the game and said on Wednesday there were footwork issues he needs to address.
“I think you’re always trying to zero in on your fundamentals and make sure those are clean. I think getting back in a game situation and playing for the first week, I think there’s gonna be things like that you need to address. And I’m certainly working to do that,” Jones said.
“I think when I say footwork, it’s not always purely fundamental. Can I take a three-step drop? I think it’s specific to certain plays, it’s specific to the rush, it’s specific to where the throw needs to be. So there’s a fundamental aspect to it, but there’s also a specific aspect to the play.”
We’ll see if Jones and his teammates can clean things up on Sunday.
