Radio host: Giants' Daniel Jones deserves MVP consideration

Big Apple radio legend Joe Benigno believes quarterback Daniel Jones deserves Most Valuable Player votes if he guides the New York Giants to a playoff berth. 

"Brian Daboll’s gotta be Coach of the Year, and Daniel Jones, I know he’s not gonna win the MVP, I get it, but he has to get some consideration for it with the year he's had," Benigno said while hosting a Thursday morning show on New York sports radio station WFAN, as shared by Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "You tell me a quarterback that has done more with less than Daniel Jones." 

The 8-6-1 Giants can clinch a playoff berth with a win at home over the 4-10-1 Indianapolis Colts this coming Sunday. Per ESPN, Jones enters Week 17 of the season ranked 11th among qualified passers with a 56.8 total QBR and 10th with a 66.5% completion percentage. While he notched only 13 touchdown passes across the campaign's first 15 games, he's fifth among quarterbacks with 617 rushing yards. The 25-year-old also has five rushing touchdowns. 

Perhaps most impressive about Jones' individual numbers is that he's played without having a true No. 1 wide receiver as a target since Week 1. Darius Slayton was nearly traded or cut before the end of August but now leads the Giants with 710 receiving yards. Running back Saquon Barkley is first among Big Blue players with 55 catches. Isaiah Hodgins and Richie James would be anonymous among many casual football fans but share the team lead with three touchdown receptions each. 

Benigno added he expects the Giants to take care of business against the Colts at MetLife Stadium. 

"Who saw that coming before the season started?" Benigno added about the Giants presumably earning a playoff berth. 

For a piece published on Aug. 23, Eric Eager mentioned that Pro Football Focus preseason predictions had the Giants as "a 38.0% team to make the playoffs." 

For those interested, Oddschecker did not have Jones named among betting favorites for MVP honors as of Thursday afternoon. That website listed Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs as an overwhelming favorite to win his second MVP award since the 2018 season.