Outside of the second half and overtime of their Week 2 win over the Arizona Cardinals, the New York Giants have woefully underperformed on offense this season. And in Thursday night’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers — a 30-12 loss that the Giants were never in after a 3-3 start — quarterback Daniel Jones did little to impress. Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 132 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, and that yardage total tells you all you need to know about Big Blue’s approach in the passing game. Overwhelmed by an injury-ravaged offensive line against San Francisco’s dominant fronts, Jones was pressured on 15 of his 34 dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus, which is unsustainable for any quarterback.
After the game, several 49ers defenders made it clear that they were unimpressed with Jones, and found the four-year, $160 million contract he signed this offseason to be… well, farcical.
“The dude did not want to throw the ball,” one unnamed 49ers defender told Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle. “Early on, you could tell it wasn’t gonna happen. Everything was a checkdown. At that point, we knew what time it was.”
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw had no problem putting his name on his opinion of Jones.
“A lot of people who make all that money don’t even deserve it. I think they took a chance [when they paid him]. I mean, he’s not bad. And if you ain’t got nothing better…”
Per Silver, the hits just kept on coming.
“Yeah,” conceded Niners cornerback Charvarius (Mooney) Ward, “forty million dollars a year is a lot of money.”
Another S.F. defender called Jones’ salary “unbelievable.” Still another used the word “ridiculous.” Said a third: “That’s a travesty, man.”
Ward was also happy to discuss the interception Jones threw with 3:48 left in the game, though it wasn’t Jones’ fault — he threw a slant on time to tight end Darren Waller, Ward matched Jones over the middle, Waller couldn’t bring it in, the ball bounced up in the air, linebacker Fred Warner almost caught it, and the ball floated to safety Talanoa Hufanga.
“It makes you hungry,” Ward said. “At the end of the game, every DB on the field was playing for a pick. Huf was the lucky guy to get it. I had a good assist. I was happy to help. We were on our P’s and Q’s tonight.”
Jones wasn’t, and in the doing of that undoing, he left the 49ers wondering what the Giants were thinking with that contract.