Giants Country

A Comprehensive Breakdown of Giants QB Daniel Jones's Pass Attempts vs. Texans

Was Giants quarterback Daniel Jones that bad against the Houston Texans? Coach Gene Clemons breaks down all 19 of his pass attempts to find out.

Gene Clemons

Aug 17, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) attempts a pass during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) attempts a pass during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
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The announcement that quarterback Daniel Jones would play in the New York Giants’ second preseason game signaled a regular-season dress rehearsal since head coach Brian Daboll approved having the other starters on both sides of the ball play. 

For Jones, back in live action some nine months after tearing his ACL, it was an opportunity to shake off any remaining rust and begin what should be a redemption tour coming off the heels of last year’s disappointing showing before his injury.

The results of this dress rehearsal, like his daily showings at training camp, were mixed for Jones. As Daboll said, there were some good and some not-so-good among the 18 official pass attempts Jones threw.

In this piece, we’re looking at each throw (including the one nullified by a penalty), and doing our best to determine if the success or lack thereof was on Jones or something else.  

Quarter 1, vs. Most of Texans' Starters

1. 1st-and-10 NYG 16

Jones' first pass was a hitch pass to receiver Malik Nabers. The cornerback (Derek Stngley, Jr.) sat on the hitch route, which should have made Jones click to the opposite side and throw the hitch to Darius Slayton instead because the corner was bailing. Instead, Jones threw the ball to Nabers and hit Stingley in the chest, the pass falling incomplete.  

2. 2nd-and-10 NYG 16

Jones's second pass was a completed screen to tight end Theo Johnson on the right side, which gained four yards. Johnson did a mediocre job of running after the catch and did not set up the blocks well to get more yards after the catch.

3. 3rd-and-6 NYG 20

Jones's third pass was a perfectly thrown fade ball down the right side to Nabers against press coverage with one high safety. Jones threw the football in a great spot for Nabers to come up with the pass and Nabers went up for the pass with one hand --his other may have been grabbed by Stingley). The pass fell incomplete.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones
Aug 17, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) attempts a pass during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

4. 2nd-and-8 NYG 8

Jones's fourth pass was a play-action pass, something that always seems to get blown up. The play called for the tight end (Chris Manhertz) to pull and block the backside edge rusher (Derek Barnett). Jones looked for the deep shot first and then came down to the flat route where tight end Theo Johnson was sitting. Jones saw the cornerback driving on the flat and double-clutched, allowing the defender to grab Johnson. He panicked, threw the football, and it went directly to the defender. 

5. 1st-and-10 NYG 43

Pass five was a play action where Jones looked for the deep shot but it was covered. He threw it to running back Devin Singletary in the right flat, but really should have thrown it left to receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who was in the flat while the defender was delayed blitzing. 

6. 1st-and-5 NYG 48

Pass six was a deep-out by Nabers on the play action. Tight end Theo Johnson ran a flat route which drew the curl/flat defender up and provided a perfect window for Jones to deliver the pass. It was a little high and behind Nabers, but the receiver was able to snatch the pass out of the air. This pass attempt was ruled NO PLAY due to a Texans defensive penalty (too many men on the field).

7. 1st-and-10 HST33

Jones's final pass attempt of a rocky first quarter was a deep fade to Jalin Hyatt on the right side. Jones tried to look the defense off to the left and then came back right to throw the fade ball. It was bad placement--the ball did not have any air on it, and it was not deep enough.

That's possibly because Jones believed the safety would get over the top. The cornerback (Stingley) intercepted the ball. That said, Hyatt could have done a better job of fighting for the ball or at least turning into a defensive back and breaking up the interception. 

Quarter 1, vs. Texans' Second- and Third-String Units

8. 1st-and-10 NYG32

Slayton ran a curl route on the left side and drew three defenders, so Jones checked it down to Eric Gray, who ran into the left flat. Gray lost his footing and was unable to run after the catch. 

9. 2nd-and-8 NYG34

Jones's ninth pass attempt was off a three-layer smash concept that had tight end Daniel Bellinger run a corner route, Nabers a deep hitch, and Gray a flat route. The defenders went with the corner and hitch, but nobody covered Gray, so Jones dumped it off to Gray who was able to gain a few more yards. 

10. 1st-and-10 HST45

This was a deep pass by Jones to Slayton on a fade. The pass's timing was perfect, and the throw was acceptable, but it could have been a little better. There's no reason that pass should not have been completed for a touchdown. Instead, Slayton had to slow down his route to bring in the pass, and in doing so, was tackled at the 1-yard line. 

11. 1st-and-10 NYG23

This was a bootleg pass. Jones dropped it off to Nabers for a short gain but he was tackled immediately. The defense had it covered pretty well, so Jones just took what was there and got three yards out of it. 

12. 3rd-and-6 NYG27

This was a cleverly designed angle route from a bunch formation. Johnson ran an out route from the No. 2 spot with Nabers doing a shallow crossing route from the outside. That allowed Wan’Dale Robinson to flash open on the area opened by the two other routes. Jones hit him in the chest so he was ready for when the safety came downhill for the tackle. 

13. 2nd-and-10 NYG40

Pass 13 was one where Jones seemed to be rushed despite having a good pocket. He ended up rushing a throw to Devin Singletary in the flat, but had he better timed everything, he had Nabers on the shallow cross and Wan’Dale Ronbinson on the deep out. The cornerback was closing in on Singletary, and as a result, Jones threw it over his head. 

14. 3rd-and-10 NYG40

This pass saw the outside receivers run deep curl routes. Jones did a good job of moving in the pocket when left tackle Andrew Thomas washed his defender down when he tried to make an inside pass rush move. Jones shuffled to his left and threw a dart to Nabers on his inside shoulder away from the defender for a 16-yard gain. 

15. 1st-and-10 HST44

On this pass, Slayton made a great release up the left sideline as if he were running a fade, but he instead broke down for a deep hitch, Meanwhile, the running back released underneath to pull the curl flat defender down, and Jones delivered the pass to Slayton.

The placement was low, so Slayton needed to go to the ground to catch it, which eliminated the chance of the run after catch. It was not a great throw, but it was a good decision. 

16. 1st-and-15 HST49

Pass No. 16 was a fade thrown to Nabers against Cover 2. Jones understood that the fade ball was eliminated because the safety was already drifting toward Nabers. He threw a high ball and on the back shoulder to take it away from danger. Nabers jumped for the pass with two hands extended, grabbed the ball and got his feet down in bounds. It was the most impressive catch of the night, but credit Jones for putting the ball in a good spot to give Nabers a chance. 

17. 2nd-and-4 HST38

This next throw was a similar back-shoulder throw as the Nabers throw, except the intended target was Hyatt and it was thrown on a straight line. Hyatt reached back for it and grabbed it with one hand. However Hyatt was unable to get his feet to go dead and drop in bounds. The Jones pass gave Hyatt a chance but it could have been thrown better. Hyatt also could have attacked the pass with two hands instead of using one hand to push off the defender. 

18. 1st-and-10 HST17

Pass 18 was a quick hitch by Slayton that Jones gets to him quickly for a modest gain on the completion. However, the play was challenged and reversed, going down as an incompletion.

19. 3rd-and-6 HST13

Jones’s final throw of the game was a quick throw to Gray out of the backfield that Jones rushed, the ball falling incomplete. Jones had good protection and enough time, so it's unknown why he felt the need to rush the throw instead of letting the play develop.

There was a mesh route between Nabers and Hyatt where Nabers set a natural pick on Hyatt’s man, and Hyatt came free, running the shallow cross to the right. If Jones throws him the ball, the Giants likely score a touchdown. 

Published
Gene Clemons
GENE CLEMONS

Gene "Coach" Clemons has been involved with the game of football for 30 years as a player, coach, evaluator, and journalist.  Clemons has spent time writing for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Bridgton News, Urbana Daily Citizen, Macon Telegraph and footballgameplan.com.  He has a YouTube channel called "Coach Gene Clemons" where you can find his popular "X&O The Joes" series as well as other football related content. 

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