Daniel Jones isn’t the Giants’ Superman after all.
He did make mistakes. He had his first bout with Kyptonite.
Jones looked bad when he mishandled a snap for a fumble and also was stripped for another one.
Yes, Jones is still a rookie. And Manning is still the veteran.
It was a night in the Giants’ 32-13 victory over Chicago in which you saw an encouraging future from
Jones and the presumed present from Eli Manning.
“He had a little bit of adversity to fight back from,” said Giants’ head coach Pat Shurmur about Jones. “But for the most part he threw the ball well. He didn’t panic… didn’t call his parents, just went back to work and did a good job of getting us in the end zone.”
Yet, he dealt with the blows and regained his strength.
It was a second straight game where Jones and Eli Manning looked like they were in October form.
Jones was given time behind second- and third –string lines and looked nearly flawless.
He perfectly threaded a 15- yard touchdown pass to TJ Jones in the corner of the end zone.
He earlier laid a 40-yarder down field to Cody Latimer.
Overall, his second start resulted in a 11-for-14 performance for 161 yards and a quarterback rating
of 138.4.
So far, so good. The overall sixth pick for Jones instead of a pass rusher hasn’t seemed wasted.
But, wait, then there’s Eli Manning.
Manning began the game and methodically marched the Giants down the field on an 11-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in an eight-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Bennie Fowler. He earlier fired a nice 20-yard strike to Latimer.
Manning left a perfect 4-for-4 for 42 yards and a 150 quarterback rating.
Like Jones., Manning had another extension of what it has been for him over the last month.
He has looked sharp and mobile in camp without any signs of slowing down.
The prevailing feeling is Manning will start the season Sept. 8, and Jones will relieve him when the team
Is officially eliminated from playoff contention.
There won’t be a quarterback controversy and Jones may not get to play if Manning can lift the team toward the playoffs.
Remember GM Dave Gettleman stressing the “Kansas City” model, referring to Patrick Mahomes playing a meaningless final game in his rookie season.
However, two games into the preseason, and this is very interesting.
Next week against Cincinnati, Manning would be expected to play at least the opening half and possibly part of the third quarter.
Jones should get some time against a first-team defense to see if the results would differ.
Put your thoughts aside. The game plan won’t change.
Manning is the present on his final march this season, and Jones will be the future.
At least for now, it reminds us that the Giants made the right move for the present and the future.