Getty Images Which QB will be king of New York: Daniel Jones or Aaron Rodgers?
The New York Giants will field the Big Apple’s best quarterback next year.
Big Blue’s Daniel Jones provides a better option at signal caller than the Super Bowl-bent New York Jets currently have in Aaron Rodgers, according to a statistical analysis by NJ.com’s Bob Brookover.
That analysis tabulated both passers in terms of completion percentage, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions from the 2022 season.
It also considered outside metrics from last season, like the grades Pro Football Focus gave to Jones and Rodgers’ offensive lines and ESPN’s all-encompassing QBR.
“Here’s the thing: Jones, by almost every measure, was better than Rodgers last season,” Brookover wrote of his findings. “And there is plenty of reason to believe that will be the case again in 2023.”
Jones edged out Rodgers in their meeting last season, a 27-22 Giants victory over the Green Bay Packers in London. He completed all but six passes and posted a 100.2 passer rating — better than Rodgers’ 96.3 rating.
He also was intercepted three times in a loss to Rodgers’ Packers at MetLife Stadium in 2019, his rookie year.
We won’t need to wait long for a rubber match. Jones and the Giants host Rodgers’ Jets in Week 8, a game Brookover believes will speak volumes about which team and passer truly owns New York.
“There’s no denying… that Jones was the better quarterback a season ago,” Brookover wrote. “The two will meet again on Oct. 29 at MetLife Stadium — and then we’ll have a pretty clear idea about how good each team and each quarterback is playing in 2023.”
Here’s what else you need to know about the New York battle between Jones and Rodgers:
Giants’ Daniel Jones Has ‘Advantage’ Over Jets’ Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is a “future Hall of Famer” sent from Green Bay to end Gang Green’s 12-year playoff drought, according to Brookover.
But according to statistics Brookover amassed on the two, Rodgers will also be out-quarterbacked by his Giants counterpart.
In the comparison, Jones earned an “advantage” over Rodgers in nine categories from 2022: Completion percentage, interceptions, total turnovers, rushing yards, combined yards, PFF’s offensive line grades, passer rating, ESPN’s QBR, and head-to-head statistics from that London game.
“Jones completed 21 of 27 passes for 217 yards and ran 10 times for 37 yards in the Giants’ 27-22 win over the Packers in London,” Brookover wrote. “He had a 100.2 passer rating. Rodgers completed 25 of 39 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns without any rushing attempts. He had a 96.3 passer rating. Advantage: Jones.”
Brookover believes Jones is “coming off his best season” at 26 while Rodgers, 39, is “coming off his worst season.” But 2022 success doesn’t always correlate to the following season, so the trajectory of both passers was considered, too.
Jones and Rodgers received equal marks with stable coaching situations. For the first time in his pro career, Jones will start a season with the same head coach and offensive coordinator. Rodgers has never played for Jets coach Robert Saleh, but spent four seasons with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in Green Bay.
The pressure felt by both players evens out, too.
“Jones just received a four-year contract that guarantees him $82 million over the next two seasons and expectations have been raised for the quarterback and the Giants,” Brookover wrote. “Rodgers is under enormous pressure to win a Super Bowl in the next two years, which could represent the remainder of his career.”
But Jones edges Rodgers in off-field demeanor, per Brookover. His familiarity with both his Giants teammates and the New York media should serve him well in 2023.
“There’s pretty much no chance (Jones will) create any incendiary issues,” said Brookover. Rodgers is new to New York and the Jets, but he has been in the national spotlight for a long, long time. He doesn’t seem to care too much about saying whatever is on his mind. Advantage: Jones.”
Daniel Jones ‘Not Worried’ About Aaron Rodgers’ Arrival
With Rodgers in town, Jones said he has no problem being New York’s other quarterback.
“I’m not worried about that,” he told the New York Post’s Steve Serby. “Just focused on what we’re doing here.”
Jones’ Giants are in a much better spot after a 2022 playoff run. But they’re in a different roster position and division than the crosstown Jets are altogether.
“The Future Is Now for Rodgers — 40 on Dec. 2 — and the Jets,” Serby wrote. “But even if it isn’t Jones’ style to volunteer that the four Lombardi Trophies standing in the lobby inside 1925 Giants Drive look a little lonely, it is time for him to be (Eli) Manning as he enters his fifth season.”
Therein lies a big difference between Jones and Rodgers.
The latter carved out his own legacy after taking over for a legend in Brett Favre, winning a title himself and four NFL Most Valuable Player awards.
The former took over for a legend in Eli Manning, but has yet to carve that legacy for himself — at least not yet.