Despite his terrible play, Daniel Jones is not biggest reason Giants stink
A nightmarish 2023 season only got worse Monday night for the New York Giants, who seem intent on repeating the 2021 horror show directed by former head coach Joe Judge.
Besides two quarters against the Arizona Cardinals, quarterback Daniel Jones has been awful. He's repeating mistakes he made earlier in his career — staring down or flat-out missing receivers, for example — but he's not the biggest culprit for New York's 1-3 start. That blame falls on the dumpster fire of an offensive line.
For the past decade, under three general managers and six head coaches, the Giants have failed miserably to assemble a competent offensive line. This season, however, is an all-time low for the unit.
Since 2014, New York has selected six linemen within the first two rounds, tied for most in the NFL. The Giants have picked three linemen within the top 10: Andrew Thomas, Evan Neal and Ereck Flowers. No other team has chosen more than one within the top 10.
Outside of one-time Second-Team All-Pro Thomas, who hasn't played since Week 1 because of a hamstring injury, the organization has yet to select any long-term answers.
Without Thomas in the lineup, the Giants don't have five linemen. Instead, they have five turnstiles "protecting" their $160 million quarterback. They might not just have the NFL's worst offensive line this season — it may go down as one of the worst in NFL history.
During Monday night's 24-3 embarrassment against the Seattle Seahawks, the Giants allowed 11 sacks. Yes, you read that right: 11 sacks.
Former top-10 pick Neal is a bust. As the starting right tackle, he's consistently outplayed, he looks lost and he lets defenders breeze past him almost every game.
What an absolute waste of a seventh overall pick.
On almost every play, Jones had three defenders in his face before his receivers can even finish running their routes Monday night.
Bobby Johnson, New York's offensive line coach, is floundering. The Seahawks were missing multiple offensive linemen Monday, but their unit looked capable and far outclassed New York's.
This is Johnson's second year on the job, but the offensive line is getting worse by the week.
What can the coaching staff have Jones do under these dire circumstances?
With a lousy record and road games against the Miami Dolphins (3-1) and Buffalo Bills (3-1) next, a 1-5 record seems guaranteed. For the Giants and their fans, it's already time to focus on the 2024 NFL Draft because this team's season surely will end with the final regular-season game.
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