New York Giants: What to watch for in Daniel Jones preseason debut
By Ed Stein
The New York Giants begin their preseason Thursday night against their MetLife Stadium co-tenants, the Jets. It will also be Daniel Jones’ pro debut. Here’s what to look for.
New York Giants football has its quasi beginning Thursday night when Big Blue takes on their intra-stadium rivals in the 2019 preseason opener. It will also be Daniel Jones first live NFL game action. Selecting the signal-caller sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft was both a surprise and highly controversial. Many thought Jones would have been available much later in the draft.
That is all water under the bridge, as Jones is a member of the team. Despite all the angry rhetoric from fans surrounding his selection, there isn’t one loyal supporter of the New York Giants who wants to see the QB from Duke fail, including yours truly. It would set the franchise back for years.
When Jones enters into the game sometime in the mid-to-late first or early second quarter, there are a few things to look for. First, one of the big knocks on Jones is his arm strength. Does he have what it takes physically to get the ball in the right place?
All rookies, especially quarterbacks, struggle. I want to see some swagger and how he maintains control of the offense and his teammates. Finally, Jones has been a student of Big Blue’s system for a few months now, how well does he make adjustments on the fly?
Accuracy and Arm Strength
When it comes to the ability to zing the football downfield, no one will confuse Jones with Pat Mahomes. On the opposite side of the spectrum, he isn’t Case Keenum either. Arm strength is not only measured in how far someone can chuck it. It’s also measured by getting the ball where it needs to be. Here are a few items to look for in this area:
- Can Jones throw effectively into a tight window?
- Does he put the right touch on the ball?
- Do his receivers have to adjust after he releases the ball to make a catch?
Near the top of any pro quarterback’s skillset is the skill to get the ball where it needs to go when it needs to get there. Sometimes it requires a zip throw and others it’s a lob pass on a fade route in the end zone.