The New York Giants face adversity again, as starting quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a hamstring injury against the Cincinnati Bengals. Colt McCoy took over for Jones in the third quarter of last Sunday’s matchup.
Ian Rapoport said that Jones underwent testing and the tests revealed that he avoided injury and that the Giants’ staff will know in the coming days if he is available for Sunday’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
#Giants QB Daniel Jones underwent tests on his hamstring today and sources say he did avoid major injury. He has an outside chance at playing Sunday, though they’ll know more if he’s able to get on the field and test it in a few days. NYG will have plans with Jones & without him.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 30, 2020
The initial belief on the hamstring injury to Daniel Jones is that it's "pretty bad" and could force him to miss some time, per source. More tests Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.https://t.co/16gMVvZTzV
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) November 29, 2020
Joe Judge says there remains "more question marks than answers" right now with Daniel Jones' hamstring. See what happens when he gets on the field later this week.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) November 30, 2020
However, ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan said that the tests revealed Jones has a hamstring strain and that he will miss some time, but the Giants’ staff needs to see how Jones progresses. In Monday’s press conference, Joe Judge said there are “more questions than answers” when talking about Daniel Jones’ hamstring injury.
Whatever the case may be, the Giants are currently in first place in the NFC East. The next five games mean a lot not just for the young players, but for the franchise as well. That pushes the debate of whether the Giants should start Jones or the backup Colt McCoy. There are two sides to the argument, but only one is right.
Letting Daniel Jones Heal
One side of the debate says that the New York Giants should let Daniel Jones heal this week and start backup Colt McCoy. When he took over for Jones against the Bengals, McCoy threw six passes on 10 attempts for 31 yards and rushed five times for seven yards.
The Giants face the Seattle Seahawks this upcoming week, as this could be their toughest matchup this season. Their powerful offense consists of MVP candidate quarterback Russell Wilson with two key targets in D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and a powerful runner in Chris Carson. However, the Giants are top 10 in run defense. The highest amount of yards a wide receiver has gained against the Giants this year was when CeeDee Lamb put up 124 against the secondary in Week 5 in Dallas.
With more first-team reps in practice rather than being unprepared, many feel Colt McCoy will improve his chemistry with his teammates and be ready for Sunday’s matchup. The Giants also have the run game as a viable option with Wayne Gallman and Alfred Morris in the backfield. However, the Seahawks rank third in rushing yards allowed per game.
The Giants have the second-easiest remaining schedule in the division. When the odds for next week’s matchups are against the Cowboys, Eagles, and the Washington Football Team, many feel that the Giants should not force Daniel Jones to come back and take their chances with Colt McCoy against the Seattle Seahawks.
In the Hunt
There is a bit of probability that Jones can play vs the Seattle Seahawks. Therefore, the other side of the argument is trotting Daniel Jones out on the field next Sunday.
The New York Giants need to make strides in the next couple of weeks to improve as a team. It is the truth that Daniel Jones is the driving force of the team’s wins and losses. Many believe Jones needs to prove himself as the franchise quarterback.
Winning against a team that is over .500, like the Seattle Seahawks, would answer the questions in the air about Jones being the quarterback of the future.
Right Decision
The New York Giants need Daniel Jones as their driving force for progression and better yet for chances to win the NFC East in 2020. However, a young, mobile quarterback risking injury is not the answer. Especially, if the Giants want results long-term from the second-year man out of Duke.
Each team coming up on the Giants schedule has its weaknesses, but Seattle is one of the tougher teams. If Jones can heal and return against the Arizona Cardinals, who lost to a plagued New England Patriots team, the Giants’ odds of winning will be even higher.
Even after that game, the Giants do not face a Kansas City Chiefs-like team. They finish out the season against the Cleveland Browns (home), who have one win against winning teams; the Baltimore Ravens (away), who rank as one of the worst passing offenses in the league with Lamar Jackson‘s recent struggles; and the Dallas Cowboys, who are currently without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, multiple pieces on the offensive line, and rank as one of the worst defenses in football.
The New York Giants are progressively turning into a competitive team every week. Daniel Jones is an important piece to this franchise, but it is not worth it for him to risk an injury that is not fully healed. As horrible as it sounds, the New York Giants should start Colt McCoy in Week 13.
