Daniel Jones says his performance was 'unacceptable' in loss to Seahawks

Daniel Jones didn’t offer weak excuses after the Giants’ 24-3 loss in Monday primetime.

He took the blame — fell on his sword as the saying goes. He signed a huge contract in the off-season. Yet this season, Jones and the Giants are floundering at 1-3. He’s getting killed by the opposing rush. And the offense can’t even score a touchdown in the first half of any game.

“I mean obviously I didn’t play well enough,” Daniel Jones told reporters. “It was unacceptable and I let the team down, so I’ve got to fix it. I’ve got to work hard to get it right and I’m going to do that.”

Let’s get to the numbers. He completed 27 of 34 passes for 203 yards. That’s not a bad stat line until you layer in these other details. He threw two interceptions, including one returned 97 yards for a pick-six. And the Seahawks defense sacked him 11 times.

It was the pick-six that possibly sent coach Brian Daboll over the edge. With the score still a manageable 14-3, the Giants were driving. They faced a second and goal from the Seahawks 6. Jones looked for Parris Campbell. And it appeared he made a bad read. Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon picked the pass and made the emphatic, game-changing play.

Devon Witherspoon picks off Daniel Jones and goes 97 yards to the HOUSE for a touchdown.

The No. 5 overall pick has been ALL OVER the field tonight. 6 tackles, 2 sacks, and now this.pic.twitter.com/wwVlGuXPSM

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 3, 2023

Cameras showed Daniel Jones looking the other way when Brian Daboll found him after interception

Back on the sidelines, Daboll tried to talk to his quarterback about the interception. But Jones walked past him and looked the other way. Then the coach walked over to the bench and tossed a tablet towards his quarterback. Cameras caught the exchange, setting off a ton of buzz on social media.

Daboll, when he talked to reporters after the game, said he wasn’t going to talk about the “particulars” of the conversation he had with Daniel Jones.

But he did share the obvious. Daboll said he told Jones “well, obviously (don’t) throw an interception.”

Witherspoon, who is a veteran of all of four NFL games, told reporters that film study showed that Daniel Jones “liked to stare down his first target.” So he was easy to read.

Maybe that’s what Daboll was trying to tell his quarterback.

Brian Daboll tries to talk to Daniel Jones, tosses the tablet on the bench… the relationship doesn't look great right now.

And they're stuck with that Daniel Jones contract..pic.twitter.com/GIwjCIVqGt https://t.co/FddCiHODJZ

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 3, 2023

The Giants gave Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million contract earlier this year. The team went to the playoffs after the 2022 season and the future seemed bright. But how’s this for bleak. In two home games at MetLife Stadium, the Giants have scored three points. Seriously. The Giants, in those games, have allowed 18 sacks.

New York’s lone win of the year was a 31-28 comeback on the road against Arizona. The Giants also lost 30-12 on the road to the 49ers.