Getty New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Max Kellerman may have been one to “embrace debate” when he was a co-host on First Take. However, the long-time sports commentator now has a new gig at ESPN, and with it, he’s leaving very little wiggle room for discourse when it comes to his belief — or rather lack thereof — in Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.
“Here’s my overreaction and this is before the draft, I have now seen enough Daniel Jones,” Kellerman said on ESPN’s KJM. “I think he has a chance under the right circumstances to maybe be a solid NFL quarterback, a good quarterback. But we’re in year four of Gettleman, three of Daniel Jones.”
The die-hard Giants fan quickly followed up that statement by banging the table for New York to proactively seek a predecessor to Jones. Although had Kellerman had his way, that player would have been added in last April’s NFL Draft.
“I wanted Justin Fields. You know why? Should the Giants be looking for a quarterback? I’m not saying you reach for one and try and invent one if he’s not there. No, I’m talking about you see a dude where you think ‘that dude’s a baller. Go get them because I don’t think this is it,'” he proclaimed.
The Giants will, of course, be forever linked to Fields as they helped facilitate the Ohio State star’s move to Chicago on draft night. “Trader Dave” Gettleman sent the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to the Bears, which they then used to snag Fields. As for the Giants, they moved back to the 20th spot, where they settled on Florida wideout Kadarius Toney. Big Blue also received a fifth-round pick and a future first and fourth-rounder in the 2020 Draft.
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Turnovers Continue to Haunt Jones & the Giants
While the Giants remain bullishly indebted to the former No. 6 overall pick, the fact of the matter is, Jones has not lived up to his draft billing. Have the team’s struggles been all his fault? Absolutely not. Has the organization best set him up for success? You take a quick glimpse at their offensive line and tell me. Still, 40 turnovers in 28 NFL games ain’t going to cut it, especially when your team owns a record of just 8-19 over that span.
Turnovers struck once again in last Sunday’s opener, when Jones coughed up the football on a costly fumble in the third quarter of New York’s 27-13 loss to the Denver Broncos. A turnover which Kellerman claims he saw coming from a mile away.
“Daniel Jones with another turnover, I mean it’s so predictable,” he stated. “I’m watching it with people, I say it out loud ‘here comes the turnover’ you know it’s coming.”
Jones’ History vs. Washington
One game won’t fix everything, but it’s a good place to start.
The Giants travel to D.C. on Thursday night for an early Week 2 showdown with their NFC East rivals, the Washington Football Team — which should be music to Jones’ ears.
The third-year quarterback has been wildly successful against the WFT, arguably more so than against any other opponent in his career. In four winning starts vs. Washington, Jones has thrown for 901 yards with eight touchdowns to just three interceptions with a passer rating of 100.0.
There is, however, one caveat at play when it comes to Thursday night’s divisional bout, as ESPN’s Field Yates highlighted.
The Giants are 4-0 against Washington with Daniel Jones as their starter.
The Giants are 0-5 in primetime games with Daniel Jones as their starter.
One of those streaks come to an end tonight.
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‘I Wanted Justin Fields’: Giants QB Daniel Jones Gets Buried