If the New York Giants are going to make a statement in the NFC East on Monday night, Daniel Jones is going to have to break his questionable streak of being winless in prime time. The Giants have been the laughing stock of the NFL for the past five seasons as their 22-51 record since the start of the 2017 season is tied with the New York Jets for worst in the league.
New York has been a primetime comedy number, going 0-10 in primetime games since 2019 – with their last primetime victory in week 10 of the 2018 season against the 49ers from San Francisco. The Giants are 0-15 in games that start at 4:25 p.m. ET for the latest since 2019 — their last win also being this 49ers game. New York is 1-19 as of 4:25 p.m. ET in subsequent games over the past four seasons.
At the center of the Giants’ failure to win in prime-time games is Jones, who sports an 0-8 record in such contests. As the Giants enter Week 3 with a 2-0 record (and one of only two undefeated teams in the NFC), Jones will have the opportunity to break the prime-time winless drought – and put New York in the conversation as a strong contender in the NFC East.
How bad has Jones been in prime time games since entering the league in 2019? The numbers have been less than ideal.
Daniel Jones Prime Time – Passing
|
Game |
Opponent |
Achievements/Attempts |
pass course |
TD pass |
INT |
Passer Ranking |
Results |
|
Week 6, 2019 |
at Patriots (TNF) |
15 of 31 (48.4%) |
161 |
1 |
3 |
35.2 |
Defeat 35-14 |
|
Week 9, 2019 |
vs. Cowboys (MNF) |
26 of 41 (63.4%) |
210 |
1 |
1 |
74.2 |
Defeat 37-18 |
|
Week 1, 2020 |
vs. Steelers (MNF) |
26 of 41 (63.4%) |
279 |
2 |
2 |
79.2 |
Defeat 26-16 |
|
Week 7, 2020 |
at Eagles (TNF) |
20 out of 30 (66.7%) |
187 |
2 |
1 |
91.9 |
Defeat 22-21 |
| Week 8, 2020 | vs. Buccaneers (MNF) | 25 of 41 (61.0%) | 256 | 2 | 2 | 74.8 | Defeat 25-23 |
|
Week 2, 2021 |
in Washington (TNF) |
22 out of 32 (68.8%) |
249 |
1 |
0 |
102.2 |
Defeat 30-29 |
|
Week 8, 2021 |
against the chiefs (MNF) |
22 out of 32 (68.8%) |
222 |
2 |
1 |
96.1 |
Defeat 20-17 |
|
Week 11, 2021 |
at Boucaniers (MNF) |
23 out of 38 (60.5%) |
167 |
1 |
2 |
57.7 |
Loss 30-10 |
The numbers aren’t great for Jones in his eight primetime starts, completing 179 of 286 passes (62.6%) for 1,731 yards with 12 touchdowns on 12 interceptions for a 76.0 rating. Jones has never thrown for three touchdowns in a prime-time affair, and only had one game where he didn’t throw an interception.
Jones has never thrown for 300 yards in a prime-time game as his team averaged 18.5 points per game. The Giants have scored less than 20 points in five of those eight games and have lost an average of 9.6 points. Four of those losses were by a field goal or less.
Jones has just two fourth-quarter touchdowns in prime-time single-scoring games, with a two-run missed conversion to time the 2020 games against Tampa Bay and a lost fumble on the final drive against Philadelphia the same year.
The Giants quarterback just didn’t make it in the air. And on the ground?
Daniel Jones Prime Time – Rushing
|
Game |
Opponent |
Gate |
yards |
TD |
Fumbles (Lost) |
Results |
|
Week 6, 2019 |
at Patriots (TNF) |
2 |
8 |
0 |
0 (0) |
Defeat 35-14 |
|
Week 9, 2019 |
vs. Cowboys (MNF) |
6 |
54 |
0 |
2 (2) |
Defeat 37-18 |
|
Week 1, 2020 |
vs. Steelers (MNF) |
4 |
22 |
0 |
0 (0) |
Defeat 26-16 |
|
Week 7, 2020 |
at Eagles (TNF) |
4 |
92 |
0 |
1 (1) |
Defeat 22-21 |
| Week 8, 2020 | vs. Buccaneers (MNF) | 3 | 20 | 0 | 0 (0) | Defeat 25-23 |
|
Week 2, 2021 |
in Washington (TNF) |
9 |
95 |
1 |
0 (0) |
Defeat 30-29 |
|
Week 8, 2021 |
against the chiefs (MNF) |
5 |
12 |
0 |
ten) |
Defeat 20-17 |
|
Week 11, 2021 |
at Boucaniers (MNF) |
3 |
ten |
0 |
0 (0) |
Loss 30-10 |
Jones has been impressive carrying football into prime time games, rushing 36 for 313 yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.69 yards per carry and 39.1 yards per game. He made four fumbles and lost three, including the aforementioned one on final possession against the Eagles in 2020.
Of course, Jones is known for dropping on an 80-yard run against Philadelphia that night — with an easy score in sight. NFL Next Gen Stats tracked Jones at 21.23 miles per hour on the run before he stumbled and managed to score the touchdown.
The Giants scored later in possession, but lost a 21-10 lead with 6:21 remaining. Jones’ 80-yard run is the longest run for a quarterback since Colin Kaepernick in 2014, but Jones failed to score. This run only amplifies Jones’ prime-time struggles.
Verdict
Jones is averaging 255.5 yards per game (passing and rushing) with 13 total touchdowns and 15 turnovers (12 interceptions and three lost fumbles) in prime-time games. The numbers haven’t been great, and the Giants’ offense has struggled in those prime-time games. Jones has completed 63.1% of passes in his career and averaged 219.1 passing yards per game (216.4 in prime time) with 48 touchdowns for 30 interceptions for an 84 rating. 9 – so his prime-time numbers throwing football are significantly worse.
Those matches are a thing of the past as Jones no longer has Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge as coaches, but a coach who plays to his strengths in Brian Daboll. Jones has completed 70.9% of his passes for 364 yards with three touchdowns for just one interception for just two games with a passer rating of 99.8. He also has just 16 carries for 46 yards (2.8 yards per carry), but the Giants are 2-0 as Jones has just one interception and a loose fumble.
Jones struggled against the Cowboys during his career, losing four of five games while completing 61.2% of his passes for 776 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions (82.4 rating). He also has 21 carries for 78 yards with five fumbles lost.
Monday night will answer many questions if Jones is struggling in prime time because of the previous coaching staff and poor offensive lines around him – or if Jones freezes under the lights. It’s the best playing calling staff and the best offensive line Jones has been with in his four seasons in the NFL.
