No real analysis here, more of a rant because Jones’s injuries in 2023 screwed the Giants in ways that aren’t readily apparent to non-Giants fans. Usually when a team’s starter goes down, the team loses and can draft a top QB. But the Giants were actually a better team without Jones.
We all know that the Giants won 5 games when Jones was off the field. And the Giants had a three game winning streak with a rookie QB that did something that Jones never did in 5 years (3 TD passes in a game).
HOWEVER, what if Jones never tore his ACL? I have no doubt that the Giants would be a 3-14 team, would have lost at least one game to Washington and might have lost to NE as well. Jones was that bad. And the Giants would have to face the inescapable conclusion that Jones is not a starting QB in the NFL. The Jones “black box” of excuses would be fully exposed. And the Giants would have the #3 pick in the draft, maybe #2.
But because Jones got injured, we are sitting at #6, and management and ownership saying that once ready, Jones will be the starting QB in 2024 (yes, I know there are off the record reports that the Giants have faced reality, at least because Jones is injury prone).
So yeah, here we are, the day before the draft and needing to trade major resources for a chance at the 3rd or 4th QB in the draft, or take the BPA and go into 2024 with three backup QBs on the roster. Too bad Jones couldn’t stay on the field in 2023.
/rant
I think they end just where they are now at 6 or even worse at 8.
Regardless, at this point, DJ isn't the same QB. His ability to rush is definitely impacted and that neck injury is seriously worrisome.
The fault doesn't lie with DJ. It lies with the OL play that never really allowed him to develop.
And as always - the same truth holds. Until the Giants resolve the OL, any QB they draft is simply the next victim.
My opinion of course. But I saw nothing in 2023 that indicated the Giants would have been better with him.
We beat terrible teams down the stretch. It’s not like we beat the cowboys and 49ers. The big win against the Eagles when then we’re in a terrible slump is not one to hang your hat on.
No one knows what the record would have been. The piling on of Jones has reached comical proportions. With Jones we lost to the cowboys, the 49ers, the Seahawks where we gave up 11 sacks, the dolphins where Eric Gray was our leading rusher and we only gave up 7 sacks and Jones gets injured then end his season a few weeks later against the raiders. Compared to Taylor/DeVito against the Bills losing 14-9, a win against Washington where we scored a whopping 14 points, the loss to the great jets team who won 13-10, lost to the cowboys 49-17, beat Washington again, beat the patriots 10-7, a good win against the Packers, losses to the Saints (scored 6 points), Eagles and rams then a last season win against the Eagles. This farce that we had better QB play with Taylor and DeVito is silly. In the 5 wins they averaged 21.2 points per game. In the losses they averaged 16.6 points per game. In total it was 18.9 point per game for Taylor / DeVito, that would have put them in 26th in the league in scoring. Not good enough. In 2022, the Giants were 18 th in the league in scoring with Jones for a full season.
When Jones was in there the team was much less healthy. No AT,
no Barkley, Wanedale R still working himself from injury, no Schmitz and no Waller
I agree with you though that there was nothing in his 2023 play that indicated that he would turn it around and have a good season. And what does "turn it around" even mean? to what standard of play? He's only ever been above average in 2022.
Quote:
Jones criticism, but it's a bit much to automatically assume the team would have had a worse record with him healthy.
It's ridiculous, frankly. I've always been a DJ supporter, definitely wear different glasses than most on that point.
Regardless, at this point, DJ isn't the same QB. His ability to rush is definitely impacted and that neck injury is seriously worrisome.
The fault doesn't lie with DJ. It lies with the OL play that never really allowed him to develop.
And as always - the same truth holds. Until the Giants resolve the OL, any QB they draft is simply the next victim.
This 100%
They can't even lose right.