QUARTERBACK
Daniel Jones: 22/42 – 186 yards / 0 TD – 2 INT / 44.3 RAT
The much-anticipated regular-season debut of Daniel Jones was an ideal set up for the sixth-year pro. Matched up against a Minnesota defense that lost a starting corner to injury over summer, signed a 34-year old starting corner a few weeks ago, and ranked 27th in pressure rate last season before losing their top defensive end to Houston in free agency. At home, on a good-weather day after an offseason devoted to supporting him via multiple free agent offensive linemen and a #6 overall draft selection on a wide receiver. On year two of the biggest contract in franchise history, it was Jones time to clock in. He did clock in. But he was late. That was the word I wrote over and over in my review of the tape. “Late.”
Jones threw a pick six and then another interception from inside the MIN 15-yard line. All turnovers are bad but some weigh more than others. One that leads to a defensive score and another from inside the red zone are the heaviest. In addition, Jones misfired on 9 passes (I would be remiss to not mention the 5 drops). Regarding the “misfires” – it is a term I am using in specific evaluations. I will explain further below if you’re interested. The heavy turnovers, the above average volume of misfires, and the three sacks that were on him are not even the worst part. The worst part of Jones’ Week One performance in his 60th career start was what I said about him coming out of Duke. He does not have the “quick mind.” There were numerous plays where Jones had the target open. The play design, timing, and protection were all there. But it was like a catcher who can’t throw the ball back to the pitcher. Or for Yankees fans, like Chuck Knoblauch struggling with throwing the ball to first base on routine ground balls in 2000. There is a mental block. Fear based? Confidence based? Coaching based? You can have your opinion on what it is. I cannot say for certain. But the guys were open, and he didn’t get it out fast enough. That is the objective truth.
RUNNING BACK
Devin Singletary: 10 att – 37 yards / 4 rec – 15 yards
A day and a half after Saquon Barkley scored three touchdowns in the Philadelphia win over Green Bay, the new #26 produced a rather lackluster performance in his NYG debut. While it was not exactly an ideal scenario for a running back, as this team was down double digits halfway through the second quarter, the Barkley game and knowing he could not be paid because of the Jones contract probably makes it sting a bit more. Singletary does look like an asset in the passing game, as he gained 32 yards after the catch. An odd number considering he finished with 15 receiving yards, but his first catch of the day (a Jones misfire) resulted in a 6 yard loss and his average depth of target was 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage. He gained a lot of his yards after contact, which I like to see. His pass blocking was solid yet a little too short-lived.
Eric Gray and rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. each carried the ball twice and caught one pass each. Those six touches resulted in 22 yards. Not much to report here, as they weren’t asked to pass protect much. Singletary is the best at all three phases of the position, and he will likely see this amount of snaps (70%) often.
WIDE RECEIVER
-There wasn’t much to be happy about with an offense that scored under 7 points (the only Week One team that failed to reach double digits). But watching both live and in All-22, Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson were both promising. Nabers caught 5 of 7 targets for 66 yards. He had two 25-yard gains, the two longest plays of the day for NYG. Of those seven targets, Nabers was thrown to four straight plays at the end of the first quarter. Jones had him open on at least two other occasions where I am confident he was the read – but Jones failed to pull the trigger. I expect that to change in Week Two. Robinson led the team with 12 targets (tied for second most in NFL Week One), finishing with 6 catches for 44 yards and added an impressive 14-yard run, the longest gain of the day on the ground for NYG. He lined up in the backfield and was sent in motion multiple times. Based on his finish last season and what they were doing with him in his rookie-season training camp, I think he is going to be a major focal point of the offense.
-Darius Slayton finished with 3 catches for 26 yards. He was sent deep often to help clear out the underneath and intermediate throwing lanes, but there was no real effort to get him the ball downfield. He is currently in concussion protocol. Because returner Gunner Olszewski re-injured his groin and will be out for weeks, Slayton, who fair caught one punt over his entire NFL and NCAA career, was put into the punt return role. He muffed his first one and nearly turned it over. This coaching staff and their approach to punt returns has been baffling. Ihmir Smith-Marsette was signed Monday.
-Jalin Hyatt barely played. 15 snaps (9 of which were pass plays) and he dropped the one target thrown his way. A guy who seems like a weapon this team could really use may have a hard time seeing serious snaps. He is clearly the number four wide receiver and this offense needs to keep a tight end on the field and sometimes even, two tight ends. His time will come but he can’t drop catchable balls when it does.
TIGHT END
-I had a feeling Theo Johnson would be the TE1 on this roster after listening to Brian Daboll talk about him the past few months. It didn’t take long for the rookie fourth rounder to replace the 2022 fourth rounder Daniel Bellinger (he out snapped Bellinger 61 to 16). Johnson dropped the first pass thrown his way but did get one for 18 yards late in the game. His movement traits and the way he tracks the ball can be a seam weapon for the passing game. The straight-line movement at his size is a major weapon. The issue? Those kinds of plays leave one very susceptible to injury especially when a quarterback struggles to place the ball well. Johnson, as I said in his report, still has some baby deer to his movement when he is changing direction and adjusting. It shows up as a blocker as well. He was beat by both power and quickness, but the initial contact was solid, he just struggled to adjust.
-Bellinger and Chris Manhertz were primarily used as blockers. The former caught one pass for three yards.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-Besides Jones, the line was what I was most intrigued by. I can’t remember all 5 starters playing every snap for an entire game. Andrew Thomas, as expected, was elite. On paper – some may say he allowed two sacks but both of those were on Jones and could not be used as a loss for Thomas. Mr. Automatic.
-The big free agent signings, Jon Runyan and Jermain Eluemunor, started off well but they were more inconsistent as the offense turned into obvious passing situations. Runyan, who missed a lot of preseason/camp, was good in pass protection but was getting jostled in the run game. I’m under the assumption he will improve in the coming weeks. Eluemunor was flagged for a false start and illegally moving downfield on a pass. He allowed 2 pressures, one of which led to a hit. The nightmare this team has had at right tackle does not look completely solved, but it appears the floor is higher without Evan Neal in there, who by the way did not log a snap. The forgotten top ten pick.
-A late free agent signing, Greg Van Roten, was the weak link of the line. He allowed 4 pressures and was flagged for a hold. His setup and initial strikes were solid, but there was no adjustment speed or balance. That is often the separator in pass protection and something we have seen all too often from the right guard position over the last few years.
-Center John Michael Schmitz, who has struggled to stay healthy over his first 15 months as an NFL player, played every snap. He had a clean game, allowing just one pressure and showing good power on the move. His legs stayed underneath him for the most part, an encouraging sign.
EDGE
-Because of Jones’ poor game and the offense as a whole struggling, the poor performance by both edge defenders went overlooked. Now, keep in mind Sam Darnold only dropped back 26 times, a slightly below average number. But Brian Burns (the prize of the offseason who cost money and draft picks) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (the #5 overall pick in 2022) rushed the passer a combined 42 times and finished with 3 pressures. Both of Thibodeaux’s were on inside stunts. He was shutout on the outside. Three pressures on 42 opportunities where a quarterback averaged 2.87 seconds to throw (an above average time) is about half of what I would expect from those guys. If this team is going to plan on rushing four like a typical Shane Bowen defense, these two need to be a lot better.
-Azeez Ojulari was the third rusher, as expected, and made zero impact as a pass rusher. He did make a nice stop in the running game.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
-Dexter Lawrence started where he left off. On just 37 snaps (67%), he finished with 4 pressures and a sack. The sack was up against MIN guard Ed Ingram who has been one of the worst pass protecting guards in football since he was drafted in 2022. He’s on his last legs there. Lawrence was doubled on almost every pass rush snap from there on out, and when he wasn’t, he either got a pressure or was close. He added one tackle on an inside run stuff.
-The spot next to Lawrence was essentially split between starter Rakeem Nunez-Roches (veteran presence), Elijah Chatman (undrafted rookie with juice), and DJ Davidson (third year guy who has flashed). Nunez-Roches finished with 5 tackles and Chatman added one. Neither made an impact in the pass game and perhaps the dreams of Chatman being a surprise difference maker were a bit far-fetched. He was dominated all afternoon but any strong reaction there would be premature. Davidson was the standout. I continue to be intrigued by this kid. His power game is real. He had 2 pressures on 9 pass rush snaps, both of which were sheer force from a bull-rush that shrunk the pocket. He added some shed ability as well. This was an encouraging sign for multiple reasons.
LINEBACKER
-The interesting development I did not see coming was Darius Muasau, a rookie 6th rounder, getting the start next to Bobby Okereke. No other linebacker played defensively. Isaiah Simmons, Carter Coughlin (who tore his pec), and Ty Summers all contributed on special teams. Micah McFadden’s injury opened the door for Muasau, who had a standout performance considering the context. He finished second on the team with 6 tackles, one of which went for a loss. He also intercepted an errant throw by Darnold on a play that showed impressive concentration and ball skills. There is a speed limitation with him, and it was very evident on a 2nd-and-9 pass play to MIN running back Ty Chandler, but he works well between the tackles.
-Okereke was quiet, finishing with 3 tackles and a fumble recovery. He led the team with two missed tackles.
CORNERBACK
-The position I labeled the biggest need outside of cornerback preseason, this was another spot I paid close attention to during the re-watch of the game. Deonte Banks lined up across from Justin Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in football and if not, undoubtedly in the top tier. It resulted in a touchdown on a play where he was in the right position, he simply just missed the ball with his hand, and the longest gain of the day, a 44-yard completion downfield. Banks remained competitive throughout, finishing with 4 tackles, one of which was for a loss. The athleticism is truly elite, but the nuances, forecasting, and accuracy of hands and feet are what will be needed to be a true CB1 in this league.
-The starter opposite of Banks, a much-discussed topic, was Nick McCloud. He finished with two tackles. The biggest miss of the day was his failure to set an edge on the Aaron Jones touchdown run. It was a simple play and responsibility, but his aggression got the best of him.
-Adoree’ Jackson appeared to be on a pitch count considering he was not with the team until just a couple weeks ago. The 36-yard pass interference on a 3rd-and-8 stop (which led to an eventual touchdown) was a bogus call from a traditionalist perspective, but it was another clear example of where the game is now. In my book, Jackson did everything he could there. Otherwise, his coverage was solid, and he made a quick tackle after a short third-down catch that was a nice play.
-Rookie Dru Phillips only played 16 snaps, but he clearly looks like be belongs. In coverage, he allowed two short catches but was quick to make the tackle after. He forced a fumble that NYG recovered early on, and he added a tackle for loss. I’m not sure if they kept his snaps low for a reason, but his impact at nickel was strong on such limited snaps. Get, and keep, this guy on the field.
-Cor’Dale Flott oddly played the most snaps at nickel and was also on the outside a bit. This team still doesn’t know what to do with him, which could be an indictment on drafting him at all. He allowed a touchdown on a route combination he was badly fooled on, one that every team runs, and he should have seen coming.
-Giants do not have a number two corner; they have multiple guys who can be solid backups.
SAFETY
-In the first game without Xavier McKinney, the Giants safety room seems to have an impressive trio at the position. Jason Pinnock is the veteran of the group, and he acts like it. Constantly putting his teammates in position, being exactly where he should be, and making plays against both the pass and run. Besides breaking up a pass and his two tackles, there was not much that stood out, but his play was dependable. Pinnock can have a big season here.
-The duo of Dane Belton and rookie Tyler Nubin is a nice package to have next to Pinnock. Nubin is the one who predominantly played, finishing with 7 tackles and a big hit on a no-gain run. He was beat once in coverage but otherwise, he wasn’t tested much. Belton broke up a ball and added a tackle. He was also the one that recovered the Slayton muffed punt.
SPECIAL TEAMS
-K Graham Gano: 2/2 (Made 23, 50)
-P Jamie Gillan: 6 punts / 46.3 avg – 46.2 net / 4 inside 20
3 STUDS
-DT Dexter Lawrence, OT Andrew Thomas, CB Andru Phillips
3 DUDS
-QB Daniel Jones, OG Greg Van Roten, CB Cor’Dale Flott
3 THOUGHTS ON MIN
(1) I am a huge fan of Head Coach Kevin O’Connell. In the kind of way, I was a huge fan of Kyle Shanahan back in 2018 when I watched him coach second-year undrafted free agent Nick Mullens. They went on to win the NFC the next season (with Jimmy Garoppolo). O’Connell made Kirk Cousins look much better than he is. And ironically, he made Mullens look awesome over a three week stretch last season. He ranked top 5 in the NFL over that span in success rate, yards per attempt, and TD-INT ratio. And another sign of irony, O’Connell, who comes from than Shanahan/McVay coaching tree, has proven he can create the best of a bad situation. The nucleus is growing and with JJ McCarthy having the year to rehab his knee and watch the game from the sideline, I feel MIN can be the next force in the NFC if they hit in the draft on defense. More on that below.
(2) What could prevent MIN from winning games in 2024? While I am a buyer of their future, I do not think they will contend this season for anything beyond an eight-win season. Their defense is on the rise, but ultimately, I do not believe in their ability to stop a strong passing game. The pass rush is below average, and they are vulnerable at multiple spots in the secondary. Unless Dallas Turner is an immediate star, there just isn’t enough up front to hide it.
(3) There has been a growing trend in analytics within the league over the past 10-15 years. We all know that. Some teams have gone to the extreme and MIN is one of them when it comes to the Front Office. General Manager Kwosi Adofo-Mensah came from Wall Street to the NFL. While there is a strong value stemming from the usage of analytics, here are the round 1-3 draft picks he’s made since the Princeton grad became GM. S Lewis Cine (cut), CB Andrew Booth (cut), OG Ed Ingram (bad), LB Brian Asamoah (backup), WR Jordan Addison (starter), Mekhi Blackmon (out for year), JJ McCarthy (out for year), ED Dallas Turner (rotational). Not a good start (albeit it is a short amount of time) for his draft reputation.
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) We have heard a lot of chatter about NYG and their new focus and intensity during training camp. More deep balls. More full padded practices. More contact. That sounds great, but I do believe the approach to the preseason games was partially responsible for an awful Week One for the second straight year. NYG sat out almost everybody Week Three against the Jets as if they were all buckled up and established. Daniel Jones prepped and played in one game for 33 snaps. Wan’Dale Robinson played 20 snaps in one game. Jalin Hyatt saw three targets. The new offensive line played about 30 snaps in one game together. It’s one thing if you have an established system and chemistry. This group did not. The result? Four pre-snap penalties in the first half, nine total penalties (tied for third most in the NFL), five drops, two interceptions, a muffed punt, and an overall lack of smoothness. Call me old school and point to the joint practices. I think it led to issues that made this game seem even worse. Too many self-inflicted wounds.
(2) “Mis-Fire”. Not an official stat. Room for some subjectivity. And I can’t rank these self-made throws against a large database. But I will throw a few comparisons for the sake of discussion. A misfire can be a completed pass. It can even be a touchdown. Every quarterback has them every week and the point of this is not to demand perfection but create a clearer picture of the truth. I started doing this in 2023 both in college and NFL evaluations, and it confirmed some beliefs on guys I like / did not like. The best of the best misfire on about 5% of their throws. The average was about 10-12%. The bad ones were above 20%. Again, I do not demand perfection and it’s not an exact science, but this is aimed at exposing guys who make the obvious and not-so-obvious inaccurate, bad throws. While I scout some of the QBs for the 2025 Draft, I can see this trait and how much ball placement creates production that may not always show up on the stat sheet and vice versa. I am still tweaking this formula based on average depth of target. But the early return on Jones here is bottom of the barrel.
(3) Week One in the NFL is always a funny thing when looking back on it. One rule I always have for myself is to avoid being that guy that wants to make season-long proclamations based on a Week One game. Good or bad. If Week One validates a previous belief? Have at it. But no matter where you stood prior to Week One, I wouldn’t let this game sway you too much. Last year in Week One, the Texans scored 9 points in a loss. The Jets beat the Bills after losing Aaron Rodgers right away. The Chiefs lost at home. While the overall feel couldn’t be much worse for a variety of credible reasons, my only point is to keep in mind Week One does not mean a lot if NYG can come back and beat Washington in Week Two.