Daniel Jones Relentlessly Roasted After Giants QB Throws Two Interceptions in Loss to Bucs

Playing in his second primetime game in as many weeks, New York Giants quarterback again stole the show for all the wrong reasons as the G-Men lost 25-23 at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.

Just over a week after his 80-yard run against the Philadelphia Eagles ended with Jones tripping on himself just short of the end zone, the Giants quarterback threw two interceptions and was one two-point conversion away from tying the game with just 28 seconds remaining.

The Giants led by at halftime but their lead began to erode early in the third quarter, when Jones, who finished 25-of-41 for 256 passing yards and two touchdowns, was intercepted on his second play. With Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton wide-open on the left touchline, Jones held onto the ball for too long, allowing Bucs defensive end Shaquil Barrett to hit him from behind as Carlton Davis intercepted the resulting pass.

The second pick came with the Giants up by two points with 9:02 left in the game as Jones came under pressure and looked to complete a pass to Golden Tate instead of simply throwing the ball away. While Tampa Bay had to settle for a field goal following the first interception, the second pick ultimately resulted in a Bucs touchdown as Tom Brady hit Mike Evans to give Tampa Bay a 22-17 lead.

Jones’ two interceptions on Monday night brought his tally for the season to a league-high 13 in eight games and 35 interceptions in 20 career games. Only Carson Wentz has turned the ball over more times this season—the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has a combined 16 interceptions and fumbles.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, since the start of last season, Jones has had at least two turnovers in 12 games, three more than any other player in that span.

Eyebrows were raised when the Giants selected Jones with the sixth overall pick of the 2019 Draft, and the wisdom of that decision is increasingly under scrutiny.

Jones has replaced former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston in the unwanted role of the NFL’s chief turnover machine and admitted he had to improve.

“It’s something I have to continue to work on and improve. I understand that,” he told ESPN.

Giants head coach Joe Judge defended Jones, but conceded the quarterback was making the same mistake over and over again.

“Daniel is our quarterback,” he told ESPN. “What we have to do is just make sure we keep improving everything around him and that we coach every player the same way.

“I think there is a number of situations that are similar. I think I need to improve. I’ve got to learn and correct those mistakes. That is where my focus is and I’ve got to do it.”

To give Jones his due, his two interceptions could have been a footnote had the Giants succeeded with their two-point conversion at the end of the fourth quarter. The second-year quarterback engineered a brilliant final drive, with the Giants converting twice on fourth down before Jones hit Tate for a 19-yard touchdown that pulled the G-Men within two points of the Bucs with 28 seconds left.

Their two-point conversion attempt, however, was unsuccessful as Jones failed to connect with running back Dion Lewis. The officials initially flagged the play for pass interference, but subsequently reversed the call as the Bucs escaped with a third straight win, while the Giants slipped to 1-7.