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Tag: Daniel Jones

  • Colts star believes Daniel Jones should come back in 2026: ‘I’m on board with it’

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    Daniel Jones‘ 2025 NFL season came to a bitter end, as the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback will have to watch from the sidelines the rest of the way after an Achilles injury this past week. 

    For the Colts, the injury is a massive loss as the team eyes a playoff spot. For Jones personally, the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time considering he’s a free agent in March. 

    Jones signed a prove-it deal with the Colts for this season after a tumultuous 2024 campaign that saw the New York Giants, the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2019, release him mid-season after signing him to a long-term extension. Not only did Jones win the starting role over Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ fourth overall pick in 2023, but he shined in head coach Shane Steichen’s offense. 

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    Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones looks on in the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.  (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)

    While Jones will tell you he’s entirely focused on how he can help the Colts from the sideline, star receiver Michael Pittman Jr. speaks for many on the team when he says he’s “on board” with the team bringing back Jones in 2026. 

    “Absolutely,” Pittman told Fox News Digital when asked if Jones should get another contract from Indianapolis. “I mean, I would love to see him here. The work that he’s put in and the body of work he’s had, I think they should strongly consider it. 

    “I’m on board with it and I think that most of the players are, if not all of them as well.”

    PHILIP RIVERS EMBRACES NFL COMEBACK AT QUARTERBACK AFTER RETURN TO COLTS: ‘I THOUGHT THAT SHIP HAD SAILED’

    Jones was just 104 passing yards away from his career high through only 13 games, tallying 3,101 on 261 completions (381 attempts). Jones did notch a career-high in completion percentage (68%), while throwing 19 touchdowns and interceptions. He also ran in five scores for the Colts.

    The seven-year veteran clearly felt comfortable with his new team, and it helps that running back Jonathan Taylor is performing like an MVP in the backfield, while the likes of Pittman, rookie Ty Warren, Alec Pierce and Josh Downs are all contributing for the Colts.

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    But Jones’ injury makes things interesting now, because teams obviously want to dish out millions at the quarterback position to someone who’s healthy. Jones had an injury history beyond the Achilles, too, as he was already playing with a fractured fibula, which may have contributed to the Achilles injury.

    With the Giants, Jones also tore his ACL in 2023, while dealing with an ailment during his time in New York.

    But depending on when Jones can return to the field, perhaps his home is in Indianapolis for years to come.

    “I do feel very fortunate to be here,” Jones told Fox News Digital last month. “This time a year ago was obviously very different for me and kind of finding what was next and where I was going to go. … The opportunity to join the Colts and play with these guys has been incredible. Been very fortunate that way, and yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot in New York and starting my career there. Grateful for that, but you try to learn along the way and take advantage of the opportunities you have.”

    PERFECT CLEAN, PERFECT GAME

    Pittman teamed up with Oral-B, which was recently named the official toothbrush of the NFL, and he shot some fun content with beloved Colts mascot, Blue.

    Michael Pittman Jr and Blue for Oral-B

    Michael Pittman Jr., and beloved Colts mascot Blue, partnered with Oral-B, the official toothbrush of the NFL. (Oral-B)

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    Pittman and Blue were trying to get their pearly whites clean with the new iO Series Electric Toothbrush, and though Blue is known for his moving belly during games, he had a giant set of teeth to get right before the game as well.

    As someone who never strays away from his gameday routine, it starts with brushing his teeth before anything else in the morning.

    “The smile is everything,” Pittman said. “Oral-B being the official toothbrush of the NFL, I just felt like it was a perfect partner because they give you the perfect clean so you can play the perfect game with their IO-series toothbrush they just came out with. It does all the work for you, so it couldn’t be easier.”

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    Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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  • There are more questions than answers after NFL games Sunday

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    The Kansas City Chiefs saved their season. The Philadelphia Eagles gave critics more fuel. The Los Angeles Rams made a dominant statement.

    There were more questions than answers Sunday in the NFL.

    Patrick Mahomes did just enough to rally the Chiefs to a 23-20 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Kansas City’s dominant defense gave him the opportunity.

    Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit forced the Colts to go three-and-out on their final four possessions. The Chiefs shut down the NFL’s leading rusher, holding Jonathan Taylor to 58 yards on 16 carries. Colts coach Shane Steichen inexplicably gave Taylor the ball only once on the last three drives of regulation.

    Mahomes threw for 352 yards but didn’t have any touchdowns. He looked skittish at times under pressure, rushing his reads and hurrying his passes.

    The Chiefs (6-5) couldn’t afford another loss as they fight to make the playoffs after winning nine straight AFC West titles, reaching eight consecutive conference championship games and winning three Super Bowls.

    They’ve got a long way to go and a tough game at Dallas (5-5-1) coming up on Thanksgiving Day. Mahomes and the offense need to get in sync for Kansas City to have a shot.

    “We’re still not where we want to be at but this was big,” Mahomes said. “Getting that win against a really good football team and kind of proving it to (ourselves) that we can play this kind of football game where it’s not always pretty. I think now we just have to build off that momentum. It’s going to be a short week. We’re playing a good team in the Cowboys, and they can score some points and they have a lot of great players. It’s about rebounding fast, trying to be better, even better this next week going into a big environment, big game and trying to get that win.”

    The Colts (8-3) have gone from 7-1 to a team that is going to have to battle to win the AFC South. They’ll face division rivals Jacksonville (7-4) and Houston (6-5) four times over the remaining six games. Their other two opponents are Seattle (8-3) and San Francisco (7-4).

    Steichen trusted Daniel Jones to win the game in Kansas City, electing to put the ball in his hands down the stretch instead of giving it to Taylor to protect a lead. Jones couldn’t deliver. He was 3 for 9 for 17 yards on the final four possessions.

    “I felt there was a lot of stuff that I wanted to get called that I felt good about in the pass game and we just weren’t efficient doing it and it starts with me,” Steichen said.

    Eagles collapse

    The reigning Super Bowl champions built a 21-0 lead in Dallas and looked like they were on their way to snapping Dak Prescott’s 18-game winning streak at home against NFC East opponents.

    Jalen Hurts was connecting with A.J. Brown and it seemed Philadelphia would quiet some of the drama surrounding the two superstars.

    But the offense regressed, giving Prescott and the Cowboys an opportunity to come back and win 24-21.

    The Eagles (8-3) have a comfortable lead over Dallas (5-5-1) and are in position to become the first repeat champion in the division in two decades. But Philadelphia fell behind the Rams (9-2) in the race for the No. 1 seed.

    A sluggish offense isn’t playing up to its standard. Saquon Barkley ran for only 22 yards on 10 carries, and the passing attack just hasn’t found its rhythm.

    Rams dominate

    The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were no match for Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

    Stafford continued his MVP-caliber campaign with another stellar performance against an overmatched defense and Los Angeles cruised to a 34-7 victory over Tampa Bay.

    The 37-year-old Stafford has thrown 30 touchdown passes and only two interceptions this season.

    “I got great teammates. I get to throw to a bunch of great players, stand behind a good o-line and watch these guys hunt on defense,” Stafford said.

    That defense overwhelmed the Buccaneers, knocking Baker Mayfield out of the game.

    Jared Verse and Kobie Turner each had two sacks and Los Angeles is the team to beat in the NFC.

    First to 10

    Drake Maye and the New England Patriots are the first team to reach 10 wins this season after holding on for a 26-20 victory in Cincinnati.

    The Patriots have a 2 1/2-game lead over Buffalo (7-4) in the AFC East with eight of their wins coming against teams that have a losing record.

    With three of their last five games against teams that are currently 8-26 combined, New England is in position to win its first division title since Tom Brady left and has an inside track to earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

    But the Patriots still have a lot to prove, especially against more experienced playoff teams.

    ___

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  • NFL trade deadline winners and losers: Eagles, Ravens make sensible moves while Colts, Cowboys take big swings

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    The NFL’s trade deadline has come and gone. Many teams attempted to improve their rosters via trade market, some bad teams went for the addition-by-subtraction approach, some teams just stood pat, and two team truly took an enormous swing.

    Time will tell if these decisions were the right ones for the respective teams, but here’s a look at our winners and losers from the deadline moves:

    Winners 🍾🍾🍾

    Philadelphia Eagles: Although they really could’ve used a no-doubt-about-it cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell, the right market didn’t surface for them. Did they panic? No. They strengthened their pass rush with a no-brainer addition of Jaelan Phillips for a third-rounder and added two defensive backs (Michael Carter II, Jaire Alexander) at low cost for depth and optionality. If all else fails at corner, they can move Cooper DeJean outside and play Carter at nickelback. Either way, the defense is in better shape now than before the deadline.

    Baltimore Ravens: With improved health in the secondary, the Ravens needed help in the pass rush to make up for the loss of Pro Bowl iDL Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) for the season. The trade for Titans OLB Dre’Mont Jones is the perfect addition to a defense that has just 11 sacks and has relied too much on blitzing.

    New York Jets: They got two first-round picks from the Colts for CB Sauce Gardner, who made All-Pro in his first two seasons but has since regressed some, and another from Dallas for DT Quinnen Williams along with a second-rounder from Dallas. The Jets need a future quarterback, and new GM Darren Mougey now has plenty of ammo to move up in the draft for one – five first-round picks over the next two seasons – and rebuild the roster. It’s risky to give up on proven talent for assets, but the Jets need as many chips as possible to find their future QB.

    Seattle Seahawks: Sam Darnold is on fire, and the Seahawks needed to capitalize on it by giving him more firepower. With his blazing speed, former Saints WR Rashid Shaheed will be an ideal deep-threat complement to emerging star WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who can do damage at all levels of the field. Shaheed already knows the offense, as Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak held the same position last season for New Orleans. Shaheed could push the Seahawks ahead in the tight NFC West race. A fourth- and fifth-round pick wasn’t too much for what Shaheed brings.

    Los Angeles Rams: You might’ve forgotten they acquired CB Roger McCreary from the Titans last week, or you might not have even known who McCary is. It’s not a splashy move but McCreary can play the slot, which lets the Rams use emerging star DB Quintin Lake in a hybrid playmaking role on the back end. The Rams play exotic coverages that blend well with their young, imposing defensive front. Having McCreary and Lake patrol the defensive backfield alleviates some of their issues at outside corner.

    Losers 🤯🤯🤯

    Dallas Cowboys: Decided to “upgrade” the NFL’s second-worst defense by trading for a linebacker who couldn’t even get on the field for the NFL’s worst defense. You can’t make this up. Maybe LB Logan Wilson wasn’t the best scheme fit for Al Golden’s defense in Cincinnati but it’s hard to see him as the savior for a Cowboys defense that has holes everywhere, especially the secondary. Then they traded a first-round and second-round pick along with DT Mazi Smith for DT Quinnen Williams, a Pro Bowl lineman who surely helps their defensive front but is also on his second contract. How many more good years will they get from Williams compared to what a first-round pick could give them? Giving up multiple high picks is the kind of move a team makes if the player being acquired is the difference-maker for a Super Bowl run. Dallas isn’t one or two moves from Super Bowl contention. The Cowboys should’ve saved their assets.

    Indianapolis Colts: Giving up two first-round picks and a top-55 pick in WR Adonai Mitchell for CB Sauce Gardner only works if a) Gardner regains All-Pro form, and b) if the Colts are committed to QB Daniel Jones for the future. What happens if Jones, who just struggled against the Steelers, regresses in the second half? If Jones isn’t the long-term answer, the Colts have no ammo to get another quarterback. Also, Gardner’s base salary balloons to more than $20 million annually for the next three seasons, so Gardner needs to play like a top-five corner for this to work out. I appreciate the big swing from GM Chris Ballard, but it could be a swing from his ankles. 

    Green Bay Packers: Despite losing star TE Tucker Kraft for the season, Green Bay sat still and didn’t try to help an offense that’s sporadic or a defense that could’ve used some assistance in the secondary. Browns TE David N’Joku would’ve been a solid add, especially with as many two-tight end formations that the Packers like to employ. After making a titanic splash to compete for a Super Bowl by trading for Micah Parsons, Green Bay’s quiet trade deadline is disappointing. The Packers are still good, but they missed an opportunity to become elite.

    Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags at 5-3 aren’t serious contenders. They just barely beat the Raiders and recently lost Travis Hunter to injured reserve from a knee injury he suffered at practice. Spencer Rattler, Geno Smith, Carson Wentz and Bryce Young all have higher passer ratings than Trevor Lawrence (71.5). The new GM should be pawning off RB Travis Etienne and other pieces to stockpile draft picks. Instead, the Jags surrendered two picks for WR Jakobi Meyers, a seventh-year slot receiver who has had one 1,000-yard season for a bad Raiders team. Even worse, Meyers will be a free agent after the season. That’s a dubious overpay for two months of a slot receiver.

    Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes is a few yards away from being their second-leading rusher and one rushing touchdown from sharing the team lead. Isiah Pacheco is hurt again and can’t be relied on to stay healthy. The Chiefs couldn’t find a way to do better here? There’s a bunch of ball carriers out there who could’ve helped – Jerome Ford, Tony Pollard, maybe even Breece Hall. They missed an opportunity to ease the burden on Mahomes.

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    Geoff Mosher

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  • Renck & File: Giants’ Jaxson Dart is having fun. He won’t be smiling vs. Broncos on Sunday

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    Time for the anvil to drop on Arm&Hammer.

    Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo have injected enthusiasm into the veins of a long-suffering fanbase, hope into a long-suffering franchise. They have a cool aforementioned nickname.

    Skattebo has been a revelation. Cast as a situational player in the draft, he boasts 338 yards rushing and five touchdowns. He is Brian Bosworth meets Mike Alstott, inspiring teammates with his rock’em, sock’em robot running style. He leads with his chin in every conversation and carry.

    But Dart needs to cool his jets. If, for no other reason, based on what just happened to the Jets.

    Some cayenne pepper got sprinkled on Sunday’s game with trash talk, sanitized as it was. Reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week Jonathon Cooper made it clear he is not impressed with Dart, saying, “He’s feeling himself a lil’ bit. He’s out there running around. He’s got the chain on. He’s dancing. I feel like everybody needs something, you know.”

    It was a warning. Dart found it amusing.

    “I think a lot of guys wear chains and dance when they score touchdowns,” Dart told the New York Post. “I appreciate him following my dance touchdowns.”

    Covering players like Dart is a blast. But quarterbacks lacking humility get clobbered by reality.

    Drew Lock ring any bells?

    He was the singing QB with the nifty backpack celebration until he wasn’t. He has been cast as a career backup since 2021. Dart is more athletic than Lock, but his total disregard for his body and overconfidence have helped him lead the league in blue tent visits the past three weeks.

    This Broncos defense is frothing, eager to put on a show to impress the Super Bowl 50 champions, who will be honored at halftime.

    Dart is great for the Giants, even if his yards per play are worse than Russell Wilson’s. He loves attention. He just picked the wrong week to engage in verbal jousting. The Broncos have not allowed a touchdown at home, while posting nine sacks.

    Good luck “Hanging with Mr. Cooper” on Sunday, Dart.

    It is the team, not QB: Time to stop pointing the finger at first-round quarterbacks who fail when history shows coaching and organizational dysfunction is largely to blame. Baker Mayfield is 5-1, and an MVP candidate. Daniel Jones is 5-1 and an MVP candidate. Sam Darnold is 4-2 for Seattle. Here are the records of the teams that drafted them: Cleveland is 1-5, the Giants are 2-3-1 and the Jets are winless.

    Wrong tone: The Chiefs welcome back receiver Rashee Rice this week. Can folks stop acting like he is returning from knee surgery? He was suspended for six games for his involvement in a six-car crash that resulted in multiple injuries and led Rice to plead guilty to two felony charges. His absence had nothing to do with his health.

    Latin for winning: Talked to Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas. And teammates about Jonas Valanciunas. It is clear he has bought into his role as Nikola Jokic’s backup on a team with championship expectations, following the “Age Quod Agis” message posted on the practice wall. Translated, it means: “Do what you do.” Valanciunas gets it.

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    Troy Renck

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  • Colts’ Adonai Mitchell suffers bizarre fumble near end zone in loss against Rams

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    Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell committed an inexplicable turnover early in the second half in their loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday evening.

    Colts quarterback Daniel Jones found Mitchell one-on-one with a Rams defender. He made a nice two-handed grab, spun off his defender and sprinted toward the end zone. The Colts, and everyone else in SoFi Stadium, thought he had a touchdown.

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    Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (10) fumbles the ball before crossing the goal line against the Los Angeles Rams during the second hall of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

    However, he bobbled the football, and it bounced off his hands and into the back of the end zone. Officials ruled it a fumble and an easy six points were taken off the board. It would have been a 76-yard touchdown catch for Mitchell if not for the fumble.

    Mitchell led the team with three catches for 96 yards. Jones connected with Michael Pittman Jr. for a touchdown. Jones was 24-of-33 with 262 passing yards and two interceptions.

    GIANTS’ MALIK NABERS SUFFERS DEVASTATING KNEE INJURY VS CHARGERS

    Tutu Atwell celebrates

    Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell (5) celebrates after a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the second hall of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

    The Rams took the lead late when Matthew Stafford connected with Tutu Atwell for an 88-yard touchdown pass with 1:13 left in the game. It put Los Angeles up 27-20 at that point and the Rams would never relinquish the lead again.

    Stafford had 375 passing yards and three touchdown passes in the win. He threw touchdown passes to Atwell, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Nacua led the team with 13 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. Adams had four catches for 56 yards and a score.

    Daniel Jones is sacked

    Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) strips the ball from Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) during the second hall of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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    Los Angeles moved to 3-1 on the year. Indianapolis fell to 3-1.

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    Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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  • Broncos CB Pat Surtain II surrendered his most catches ever in Week 2. Did Colts attack him?

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    Pat Surtain II, his longtime trainer Chad Wilson likes to say, is the NFL’s version of Tony Gwynn. Or Wade Boggs.

    Both were perennial .300 hitters in the MLB. Both hardly ever struck out. It takes a certain discipline in a cornerback — as it does for a batter to always make contact — to work the same rep over and over and over again, Wilson reflected.

    “He’s that one big guard gate,” Wilson said, “that a lot of guys don’t have the passcode for.”

    The thing about being a .300 hitter, of course, is that you’ll get beat seven out of 10 times. And Indianapolis beat Surtain on Sunday.

    The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year led the Broncos with 11 tackles against the Colts. It was a stark contrast to his Week 1 involvement, when he went phantom mode in shadowing Titans wideout Calvin Ridley. Surtain being that involved as a playmaker means one thing — he was around the ball plenty. Advanced stats revealed the Colts weren’t hesitant to go after the All-Pro corner, as quarterback Daniel Jones targeted Surtain nine times and completed seven of those passes.

    That was tied for the most catches Surtain’s ever surrendered in an NFL game across his five-year career. One first-quarter play summed up his afternoon: Second-year Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell stuck his foot in the ground in a one-on-one rep on the outside, came back to the ball, and secured an 8-yard grab even with Surtain hanging all over him.

    Surtain simply glanced up from his knees at Mitchell, the CBS broadcast showing a smile on the cornerback’s face. A hat-tip of sorts.

    At surface level, the Colts and Jones appeared to solve the Surtain paradox for much of Week 2’s 29-28 win over the Broncos. But they didn’t specifically attack him as part of their game plan.

    On that throw to Mitchell, Jones’ eyes ranged across the middle before pivoting to Surtain’s matchup on the outside.

    “Do I think, on those Wednesday nights and Thursday nights in game plan meetings, they were out to target Patrick? I don’t think that was the case,” head coach Sean Payton said Monday morning. “I think a lot of it is progression of the route.”

    The Denver Post dug into each of the 38 snaps Surtain played on Sunday on passing-down situations, and the film revealed his matchup was rarely a first option: Jones appeared to cycle through his progressions to find Surtain’s receiver on five of those nine targets. Surtain surrendered one fourth-quarter target, when Jones checked around and found Colts receiver Alec Pierce sprinting away from Surtain on drag route. But film showed not a single one of Indianapolis’s fourth-quarter pass plays was specifically aimed toward the DPOY’s man or his area of the field in zone.

    Surtain ultimately gave up just 63 yards on those nine targets. He was only beaten by a step on three: that Pierce catch and a couple of first-down slants from Colts top target Michael Pittman Jr. It wasn’t Surtain’s best performance. But he shadowed assignments effectively on deep routes, and tagged over to the Colts’ Tyler Warren on numerous plays, only surrendering one catch in two targets against the 6-foot-5 rookie tight end.

    A second-quarter ankle injury didn’t appear to shake Surtain much, either. The corner said postgame that was “no excuse” for his play. He surrendered four catches once he returned late in the second quarter. One catch was a box-out from Warren, and one was a perfect ball from Jones to Pittman that Surtain actually tipped.

    “I think he was able to come back and he felt comfortable enough to come back,” Payton said Monday. “But I’m sure the technique he’ll look at today. He’ll want to clean up on a handful of those plays.”

    Surtain was tasked with a dizzying array of assignments. Sometimes shadowing Warren. Sometimes following Pittman. Sometimes picking up Pierce and Mitchell. And his numbers were skewed in large part because the Broncos’ pass-rush couldn’t get to Jones, giving the Colts quarterback ample time to cycle through his reads.

    Denver had 17 pressures on Jones on Sunday. They finished with one sack, according to Next Gen Stats.

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    Luca Evans

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  • Renck: Blaming refs for Broncos’ loss to Colts is just plain dumb. This one’s on Denver

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    INDIANAPOLIS — Time to run mental lapses.

    And extra gassers at the end of practice.

    Here in Naptown, a poster with Colts players adorns the J.W. Marriott, paying tribute to late team owner Jim Irsay. It reads: For the Boss. For the City. For the Shoe.

    For the love of God, this ending was stupid. A series of cognitive disconnects, each more costly than the last, resulted in a 29-28 walk-off loss for the Broncos.

    This wasn’t just a Denver loss; this was the ultimate brain freeze. Like guzzling a 32-ounce Slurpee through a straw in a single drink.

    Unwisely conceived: Darren Rizzi, why ask Dondrea Tillman to try to block a 60-yard field goal from a kicker who has never made a 50-yarder? Poorly executed: If you are going to speed, even if by one mile per hour over, don’t get caught — and stained by failure.

    The Broncos were dealt their first loss of the season in their first road game of the season in a way that, as far as the internet can tell, was a first.

    In four weeks, if your friends ask you how the Broncos’ special season became ordinary, the story starts here. When they ask you at the office Christmas party why they have to win out against Kansas City and the Chargers to make the playoffs, remind them of the Colts.

    The Broncos put themselves in a dangerous position with upcoming cage matches against the Chargers, Bengals and Eagles by squandering a game the Colts were begging for them to win. Or at least coach Shane Steichen was as he performed his best Nathaniel Hackett Clueless in Seattle impersonation.

    When writing the Broncos’ history since Super Bowl 50, what unfolded before our wide eyes demands an entry. Let’s start at the end and work backward.

    Leading 28-26, the Broncos took possession at their 35-yard line with 8:29 remaining. On an afternoon when the offense finally awoke from its summer hibernation, this represented a chance for a statement drive in a benchmark game. Siphon the clock. Kick a short field goal, and let the beleaguered defense leave with its dignity with a clinching sack of Daniel Jones.

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    Troy Renck

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  • Daniel Jones Reminds Colts GM of This Former Chiefs Quarterback

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    The Indianapolis Colts entered the preseason with an intriguing quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.

    Both players were top-10 picks, and Jones’ time with the New York Giants didn’t live up to the hype, especially after he signed a four-year deal worth $160 million.

    Richardson’s first two seasons with the Colts have been marred by injuries and inconsistent play, but the Colts decided to run with Jones as the QB1 to start the season.

    On Wednesday, Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke about the Jones-Richardson duo, and he even compared Jones to former Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith, who he worked with during his time in KC as director of player personnel and then director of football operations.

    More Football: Chiefs Bring Back 2-Time Super Bowl Champion

    “[He] reminds me a lot of Alex Smith that we had in Kansas City, who I thought was just the ultimate professional day in and day out,” Ballard said, via Nick Shook of NFL.com.

    “The team knew exactly what they were getting. I feel that’s kind of the same thing with Daniel. So, I know the story’s always been about Anthony, but also let’s don’t lose sight of Daniel. (He) did some good things, and he’s been a really good professional. He’s been through a lot.”

    Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft and had a successful career before retiring in the 2021 offseason. Smith made the Pro Bowl three times and started 167 regular-season games between the Chiefs, Redskins (now Commanders) and 49ers.

    Colts “Excited” for Daniel Jones

    Quarterback Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass against the Baltimore Ravens in the first half during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium…


    Patrick Smith/Getty Images

    After naming Jones as the starting QB, head coach Shane Steichen said they are excited for what he brings to the table.

    “I think the guys have taken to him. He’s a great communicator with the guys. You can see that veteran presence out there. So, I’m excited for that,” Steichen said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN.

    Jones appeared in 70 regular-season games for the Giants, throwing for 14,582 yards with 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions before being let go.

    More NFL: Colts GM Makes Decisive Anthony Richardson Statement Amid Trade Rumors

    After his release, he joined the Minnesota Vikings but didn’t play in any games. The Colts signed him to a one-year, $14 million deal in the offseason.

    While Richardson waits in the background, it doesn’t appear Jones will have a short leash, either.

    “He’s our starting quarterback for the season. I don’t want to have a quick leash on that. I feel confident in his abilities,” Steichen said, via Holder.

    The Colts begin the season at home against the Miami Dolphins before taking on the Denver Broncos, and it will be worth watching to see if Jones can get back on track and benefit from the change of scenery.

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  • Where Does Texans QB Davis Mills Rank Among NFL Backup Quarterbacks?

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    In the last 48 hours, two teams in the AFC, one of whom is in the Houston Texans’ division, named their starting quarterbacks. The Cleveland Browns named 40-year-old Joe Flacco the winner of a four way competition for first string quarterback, and the Indianapolis Colts named Daniel Jones the victor over Anthony Richardson on their QB battle.

    Here’s the thing — Flacco and Jones both stink, and yet they start for NFL teams. I bring this up as a reminder for you to give thanks and praise to the football gods for blessing us with C.J. Stroud.

    Now, here’s the other thing — the football gods can be cruel, as we found out in 2023, when Stroud was knocked out for two games while sitting in concussion protocol. In the two games Stroud was absent, the Texans found a way to go 1-1, and keep their successful quest for an AFC South title alive. Sometimes, in the NFL, you’re going to need your backup quarterback.

    Fortunately, the Texans have an experienced backup in Davis Mills, who is entering his fifth year in the league, all of them with the Houston Texans. In fact., some of you, those who haven’t had 2021 and 2022 erased from your memory, will recall Mills starting 26 games combined over those two seasons.

    In evaluating where exactly Mills sits on the power rankings for backup quarterbacks in the NFL, here are three things you need to take into account:

    Mills has had a very good 2025 training camp
    There was the opening drive of the preseason opener against the Vikings, where Mills took the Texans on a 10-play, 74-yard jaunt for a touchdown. Then, in the second preseason game, Mills led the team on a drive right before halftime, in which they scored a field goal. I can also tell you, as someone who’s been at nearly every minute of practice, he has had the most “WOW” throws of any of the Texans’ quarterbacks in practice. In short, Mills is inspiring confidence.

    Mills has experience in multiple systems, including the ones OC Nick Caley is steeped in
    Part of the reason why Mills has gotten up to speed so fast in the new system, authored by new OC Nick Caley, is because he’s been forced to learn brand new systems three times now in his NFL career, prior to Caley’s arrival. Also, Caley’s system has been branded by some of the longtime Texans players as being similar to Bill O’Brien’s offensive system, a system in which Mills played in 2021, under O’Brien understudy Tim Kelly as the OC.

    We do need to remind everyone about Mills getting passed over in 2023
    On the downside, the team did have a chance to turn to Mills when Stroud suffered his concussion in 2023, and after a season of grooming Mills as the backup, they turned to Case Keenum instead, and Keenum led the Texans to a last second win over the Titans. I’d like to think Mills has grown since then, and that DeMeco Ryans’ confidence in Mills has grown, otherwise, Keenum might still be in Houston.

    So, who do we rank ahead of Mills?
    In looking at the full list of backup quarterbacks in the National Football League, here is how I would place the upper half of those backups into tiers:

    TIER ONE
    GARDNER MINSHEW, Chiefs
    KIRK COUSINS, Falcons
    JIMMY GAROPPOLO, Rams

    TIER TWO
    ANDY DALTON, Panthers
    JAMEIS WINSTON, Giants
    TANNER McKEE, Eagles
    DAVIS MILLS, TEXANS
    MAC JONES, Niners
    JACOBY BRISSETT, Cardinals

    TIER THREE
    MARCUS MARIOTA, Commanders
    MALIK WILLIS, Packers
    KENNY PICKETT, Browns
    JAKE BROWNING, Bengals
    COOPER RUSH, Cowboys
    SAM HOWELL, Vikings

    So there you go. I think Mills has elevated his game to where the Texans can easily go 2-2, if Stroud had to miss a month, and I think Mills would be capable of going 9-8 over a full season for a team with the Texans’ defense and coaching staff.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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    Sean Pendergast

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  • The Eagles Free Agent Frenzy – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Eagles Free Agent Frenzy – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Eagles had another grocery list of positions to fill this off-season.

    • Safety (or 2)
    • Linebackers (multiple)
    • Wide Receivers (multiple)
    • Running Back (or 2)
    • OL Depth

    They had already made a few moves to shore up some depth and competition in the roster. See more of the previous moves like Okwara and Kinnard here.

    If you had told me that the Eagles would cross off most of that list within the first week of free agency. I would assume most of the players were cheap acquisitions who might not even make the 53 man roster. But by end of day Thursday, the Eagles have started the off-season impressively.

    Let’s recap the moves they’ve made since Wednesday.

     

    Division Rival Betrayal

    The Eagles began the legal tampering period with some of the best news. And later finalized a 3-year, $37.75M deal with Saquon Barkley.

    This should be the 3rd year in a row Eagles end up with a 1,000+ yard player in the backfield. From Sanders, to Swift and now Barkley, who put up 962 rushing yards in only 14 games with the Giants this past season. While the Giants had started Tyrod Taylor, Daniel Jones and Tommy DeVito for equal amounts of the season. Saquon was in a similar situation to Christian McCaffrey, and should now make as much an impact on the Eagles as McCaffrey has to the 49ers offense.

    With only a $3,950,000 cap hit in 2024. Barely costing the team as they continued to spend their available cap space…

     

     

    Shopping From Both Sides Of MetLife

    There was one more stop the Eagles had to make while they were scooping players from MetLife Stadium.

    Signing Bryce Huff to a 3-year, $51M contract is a big price to pay for a defensive end who only played 42% of the defensive snaps. Compared to Sweat at $13.3M and Reddick at $15M, who both played over 70% of the Eagles defensive snaps. But with Huff putting up 10 Sacks last year for the Jets, this signing feels similar to when they signed Haason Reddick 2 seasons ago.

    So could this be a signing to replace one of the expiring Sweat or Reddick deals? Or utilizing the $30M jump in cap space to re-invest on the defensive line? We won’t know for now, but this Josh Sweat instagram comment might be a hint of what could still be to come.

     

    Addressing The OL

    Every year, there’s plenty of people online who scream into the void “The Eagles should use their Day 1 pick on an offensive lineman”

    I’m here to tell you they probably won’t do that, again.

    The Eagles had plenty of players depart from the Offensive Line. From Kelce’s retirement to no news on Sua Opeta or Jack Driscoll. But they’ve already gone and signed Darian Kinnard, and now Matt Hennessy.

    With 20 starts in Atlanta over the last 3 years, the former Temple Owl will make his way back to Philadelphia. Having played center and left guard in Atlanta. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Hennessy is viewed as a backup piece, but can bring competition for both Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen during training camp.

    While this is only a 1 year deal, it probably keeps the Eagles from using a high round pick in the draft on the offensive line. If they’re truly building for the future they could use a 2nd or 3rd round pick, like they have in the last two drafts.

     

     

     

    Finally, Some Linebackers!

    There’s one position the Eagles desperately needed to invest in this off-season. And it took awhile for these moves to come through but they’ve made them.

    Adding 2 linebackers in the opening week of free agency is steps ahead of the linebackers the Eagles were acquiring last year.

    Nicholas Morrow was the only free agent move in March for a LB, and Zach Cunningham and Myles Jack weren’t signed until August.

    Devin White, a former Pro-Bowler and All-Pro had 83 tackles last year, including 2.5 Sacks and 2 Interceptions.

    While Zack Baun had 30 tackles, 2 Sacks and 1 Interception.

    Many may not approve of the White deal, but with plenty of time to make final roster decisions and the draft still a month away. White and Baun are better moves than the Eagles have seen at LB in some time. (We all remember Nate Gerry, right?)

     

    A Reunion In Philly

    Maybe this is what was missing from the Eagles secondary in 2023.

    C.J. Gardner-Johnson didn’t see plenty of playing time in Detroit, With a Week 2 injury that saw C.J. out until week 18. The reacquainted Safety still had 2 Interceptions across his 6 total games in Detroit, 3 in the regular season and 3 in the playoffs.

    Some wanted Justin Simmons to fill the void in the secondary left by Byard, but after some apologies, many are on board with this addition.

     

    The New WR3 In Town

    With Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus set to be free agents, the Eagles had to bring in multiple new faces for new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

    And they did.

    While DeVante Parker’s separation numbers are the worst in the league. The Former Patriot still had 539 and 394 yards during his 2-year stint with Mac Jones at QB (And Matt Patricia at OC).

    Not bad numbers to fill in a WR3 role that Watkins and Zaccheaus didn’t come close to last year. Sure the offense struggled under Brian Johnson, there’s still bright things to expect with new faces on this team with new coordinators and schemes being put in place this off-season.

    There’s still 1 more open WR spot on the roster that could be addressed in the draft or re-signing Zaccheaus. And with the Eagles only paying $1.2M of Parker’s deal, there’s no guarantee he makes the final roster cut in August either.

     

     

     

     

    The Eagles have already made plenty of moves signing new faces to the team, who are you hoping they’re still able to add before the draft?

     

    Go Birds!

     

     

    Photo Credit: Matt Rourke / AP Photo

     

     

     

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    Tyler L’Heureux

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  • Justin Jefferson, De’Von Achane expected to miss time with injuries; Travis Kelce makes progress

    Justin Jefferson, De’Von Achane expected to miss time with injuries; Travis Kelce makes progress

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    Week 5 proved to be brutal on the NFL injury front.

    Beyond Giants quarterback Daniel Jones’ neck pain and Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker’s season-ending Achilles tear, notable players across the league suffered injuries Sunday.

    Several of their outlooks were reported on Tuesday:

    JUSTIN JEFFERSON, VIKINGS

    The superstar wide receiver is expected to be placed on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, making him ineligible to play in Minnesota’s next four games, according to ESPN.

    Jefferson, 24, camp up gimpy after running a route during the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ loss to the Chiefs and did not return.

    “We’re going to have to medically make a good decision and help almost protect him from himself a little bit in a way where we’ve got to take care of him and get him back to 100%,” coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday.

    Jefferson, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, has 36 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns this season.

    The Vikings are now 1-4 and missing their best player for at least a month. Last month, some analysts linked Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, an impending free agent, to the Jets as a trade target following Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles tear.

    In Jefferson’s absence, rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison, fellow wideout KJ Osborn and tight end TJ Hockenson figure to receive more targets.

    De’VON ACHANE, DOLPHINS

    The rookie running back has been a revelation for Miami, using his elite speed to rush for 460 yards and score seven total touchdowns over the last three games.

    Achane’s knee injury in Sunday’s win over the Giants flew under the radar, but ESPN reported Tuesday that the 21-year-old sensation is expected to miss multiple weeks and could end up on IR as well.

    The high-powered Dolphins have enviable depth at running back, with Raheem Mostert off to a strong start and Jeff Wilson (rib, finger) now eligible to return from injured reserve.

    But the loss of Achane is still disappointing for 4-1 Miami, considering he’s averaging 12.1 yards per carry and was receiving an increased workload.

    JAMES CONNER, CARDINALS

    The veteran running back finds himself in a similar situation as Achane, with a knee injury expected to cost Conner multiple weeks, according to ESPN and NFL Media. Conner, too, is a candidate for IR.

    The 28-year-old has been a workhorse for Arizona, rushing for 364 yards and two touchdowns this season before getting injured in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals.

    Emari Demercado, an undrafted rookie out of TCU, ran for 45 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries Sunday and should receive an increased role with Conner out. The Cardinals (1-4) also claimed veteran running back Tony Jones Jr. off waivers.

    TRAVIS KELCE, CHIEFS

    In a more positive update, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Travis Kelce would practice Tuesday after injuring his ankle two days earlier.

    Kelce, 33, briefly left Sunday’s win over the Vikings but returned and caught a touchdown. The tight end missed Week 1 with a knee injury and was considered a non-participant on Monday’s estimated walkthrough practice report due to his latest ailment.

    Tuesday brought better news for fans of the Chiefs and of Taylor Swift, who is rumored to be dating Kelce and has attended two of his games this season.

    “He’s done well,” Reid said Tuesday. “He’s gotten quite a little bit of treatment on it and he’s a little bit feeling better.”

    The Chiefs (4-1) host the Broncos (1-4) on Thursday night.

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    Peter Sblendorio

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  • Giants QB Daniel Jones ‘feeling better’ after neck injury, says it’s different from 2021’s

    Giants QB Daniel Jones ‘feeling better’ after neck injury, says it’s different from 2021’s

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    Daniel Jones says he’s feeling better and hopes to play this weekend in Buffalo, but the Giants quarterback declined to go into specifics about the neck injury that forced him out of Sunday’s loss to Miami.

    Appearing Tuesday on YouTube’s “Up & Adams Show,” Jones said this neck injury isn’t the same as the one that kept him out of the final six games of the 2021 season.

    “I’m feeling good, feeling better,” Jones told host Kay Adams. “It’s different than what I’ve dealt with in the past, so just trying to heal up as quickly as possible and follow the advice from the trainers and doctors.”

    Jones suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 31-16 loss when he was sacked by Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.

    The 26-year-old Jones described “pain” in his neck immediately after the game but on Tuesday said it’s his goal to suit up for Sunday night’s primetime matchup against the Bills.

    “I’m gonna do everything I can to be out there,” Jones said.

    Jones is in the first season of a four-year, $160 million contract. The former first-round pick has only thrown two touchdown passes against six interceptions for the 1-4 Giants and has been sacked a whopping 28 times behind a beat-up offensive line that’s been without injured star left tackle Andrew Thomas the past four games.

    Dealing with contact would be the biggest challenge of playing Sunday, Jones said.

    “Getting hit in a certain way exposes you, and I think that’s the biggest thing,” Jones told Adams. “It’s not necessarily what would prevent me from throwing or doing what I need to do, but just taking a similar hit could affect [it].”

    Jones’ comments came a day after Giants coach Brian Daboll expressed optimism the fifth-year quarterback would play in Week 6.

    “He’s feeling better today,” Daboll said Monday. “So I think he’s moving in the right direction. We’ll see where he is obviously when he comes back on Wednesday. But [he] doesn’t feel terrible today.”

    Daboll said at the time he hadn’t seen the results of Jones’ MRI or scans, and Jones didn’t reference either during Tuesday’s interview.

    Tyrod Taylor is the Giants’ backup quarterback. Taylor entered Sunday’s game after Jones’ early exit and had the wind knocked out of him during his own injury scare.

    Jones’ injury is the latest for the beleaguered Giants, who have also been without star running back Saquon Barkley the past three weeks as he recovers from a high ankle sprain.

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    Peter Sblendorio

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  • Daniel Jones neck injury punctuates brutal 31-16 loss to Dolphins despite three Giants defense takeaways

    Daniel Jones neck injury punctuates brutal 31-16 loss to Dolphins despite three Giants defense takeaways

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    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Daniel Jones couldn’t last four more quarters behind the Giants’ decimated offensive line. And there’s no telling how serious his injury is just yet.

    Jones, Brian Daboll’s franchise quarterback, left Sunday’s 31-16 loss to the Miami Dolphins with a neck injury after a crushing fourth-quarter sack by Dolphins pass rusher Andrew Van Ginkel.

    A neck injury infamously ended Jones’ 2021 season and cost the GM and head coach their jobs that year in season two of a three-year rebuild. So there must be heightened concern here.

    Left tackle Josh Ezeudu, the Giants’ best answer for a backup to injured starter Andrew Thomas (hamstring), surrendered the unabated sack with 12:42 remaining and was benched after the play.

    It’s not Ezeudu’s fault, though.

    The Giants tried to hand Joe Schoen’s 2022 third-round pick a starting guard spot in training camp. He couldn’t win it. And yet the Giants still switched him to tackle to protect Jones’ blind side with Thomas out.

    Personnel selections and decisions like that are one of many reasons the Giants (1-4) are limping into next week’s prime time visit to Buffalo and staring a very scary 1-5 in the face.

    They failed to score an offensive touchdown in the game. They were down Thomas, Saquon Barkley (ankle) and center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder). And now their starting QB is hurt.

    Even backup QB Tyrod Taylor got hurt with just under two minutes to play and struggled to make it through the final 12 minutes of the game behind this O-line after replacing Jones.

    It didn’t matter that Wink Martindale’s defense played with pride, even while the Dolphins’ explosive offense gained a stunning 524 yards.

    The Giants defense, which entered the game as the only NFL defense with no turnovers, forced three takeaways on the high-powered Dolphins’ offense.

    Safety Jason Pinnock returned an interception 102 yards for a touchdown. Bobby Okereke helped force two of the takeaways, a tip to Pinnock and an interception of his own. And Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa was flustered.

    Unfortunately, a seven-point halftime deficit quickly ballooned to 14 when Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for a 69-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline in the first minute of the third quarter.

    Rookie corner Tre Hawkins was beaten with no deep safety help, with veteran corner Adoree Jackson oddly on the sideline. And the Giants never recovered outside of a couple Graham Gano field goals, while Raheem Mostert bulldozed in for another Miami TD at the end of the third.

    The Giants only trailed 17-10 at halftime despite the Dolphins outgaining them 326 yards to 125 to that point and taking an early 14-0 lead.

    That’s because Wink Martindale’s defense forced two first-half turnovers, including a 102-yard Jason Pinnock interception returned for a touchdown.

    Okereke tipped Tagovailoa’s ill-advised throw into traffic at the goal line, and Pinnock snatched the ball and raced up the right sideline for the TD with 1:40 remaining in the half to cut Miami’s lead to 14-10.

    Rookie corner Deonte Banks blocked speedy Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill onto the sideline to make sure Pinnock was home free.

    It was fitting that the defense scored the Giants’ first first-half touchdown of the season. They’ve played well enough to win games with a competent offense complementing them. But they haven’t gotten any help.

    Daboll did finally force-feed the ball to Darren Waller early with promising results: four catches for 49 yards on six targets before halftime. But Waller dropped what would have been a second-quarter TD on a whirly-bird route to the front right pylon with Xavier Howard making contact in coverage.

    The Giants settled for a Gano 49-yard field goal for their first points of the game after Waller’s drop with 3:41 remaining in the first half.

    The defense was trying their best to keep the Giants in the game right from the jump, even when Miami was bulldozing through them.

    Pinnock popped the ball free from Mostert in the red zone on the Dolphins’ first drive. But the ball bounced out of bounds, and Tagovailoa capped the blistering 8-play, 86-yard drive with a 2-yard TD pass to Jaylen Waddle for a 7-0 lead at 7:09.

    The Giants again failed to score a point in the first quarter. So they still have only three first-quarter points this entire season: a Week 3 Gano field goal at San Francisco.

    Xavier McKinney forced an Achane fumble recovered by Kayvon Thibodeaux early in the second quarter to give the offense the ball back down, 3-0.

    But they failed to score again, and Achane then rattled off a 76-yard touchdown run down the left sideline, blowing by a blocked-up Isaiah Simmons on the way for a 14-0 Miami lead at 10:02 of the second quarter.

    It’s not just slow starts that have killed the Giants offense this season, though. It’s an inability to score at all.

    And if Jones misses meaningful time, there is no telling how far the Giants could fall.

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    Pat Leonard

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  • Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll have put a pathetic Giants product on the field

    Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll have put a pathetic Giants product on the field

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    Joe Judge got fired and ridiculed after running two straight QB sneaks with Jake Fromm to create room to punt the ball in Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season.

    And on Monday night, with America watching, Brian Daboll’s Giants offense did exactly the same thing.

    On 3rd and 11 at the Giants’ 24-yard line, trailing 14-3 with 1:14 left in the first half, Daniel Jones handed the ball off to Matt Breida for a measly 4-yard gain to set up a punt.

    On top of that, after the game Daboll claimed Jones ran the wrong play because he misheard the coaches’ play call.

    The crowd booed. The fans couldn’t believe it.

    Maybe that’s because they’ve seen it before.

    Have they seen this kind of ineptitude before, though? This glaring lack of discipline? This level of underachieving from a team with legitimate talent that reared its head again in a pathetic 24-3 loss to the Seahawks on Monday Night Football at MetLife Stadium?

    Judge was rebuilding a broken roster. Daboll is in Year 2 with a playoff team and that had some money to spend in the spring. His 2022 Coach of the Year Award, however, feels like a distant memory.

    Jones was sacked 11 times on Monday. Eleven.

    The Giants’ 18 sacks allowed in their first two home games of the season is a new NFL record, per ESPN Stats & Info.

    Could Jones have played better? Sure. He said so himself.

    “I didn’t play well enough,” Jones said. “It was unacceptable, and I let the team down.”

    But the coach didn’t help his quarterback. Jones is looking over his shoulder for pressure at every turn. And most of the time, it’s coming.

    “There’s some shock,” Jones said of the state of his team.

    No one wants to hear about injuries to the offensive line, either.

    Rookie center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), guard Shane Lemieux (abductor) and tight end Daniel Bellinger (knee) all went down on Monday to go along with scratched running back Saquon Barkley (high right ankle sprain) and left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring).

    But keeping players healthy is a part of the entire organization’s job. That includes the training staff and the GM, too. It’s been a problem here for a long time. And it keeps getting blamed on head coaches and field turf, but it’s a much bigger issue than that.

    Still, the Seattle Seahawks had only one of their regular starting five O-linemen playing his normal position by the end of Monday’s first half. Everyone faces adversity.

    Some coaches and teams just fight through it and figure it out.

    The Giants’ defense was fighting on Monday, at least. Kayvon Thibodeaux had two sacks.

    It wasn’t enough, though. This team is on the verge of coming apart at the seams. And if they do, they will simply be taking their cue from Daboll.

    Their head coach threw his arms in the air as Thomas McGaughey’s special teams group committed a stunning six penalties. Then, in the third quarter, something happened between Daboll and Jones that may come to define this disaster season:

    Jones threw a red zone interception that Seahawks rookie corner Devon Witherspoon returned 97 yards for a touchdown and a 21-3 Seattle lead with 1:03 remaining in the third quarter.

    And when Jones walked to the sideline, and Daboll started pressing him on his mistake, Jones walked right by his coach.

    Then Daboll approached Jones on the bench to review the interception on a tablet, took a look and then tossed the tablet down in disgust in the hands of QB coach Shea Tierney.

    “I was trying to show him [or] kind of see what he thought and then tell him what I saw,” Daboll said. What did he want Jones to do on that play?

    “Well, obviously not throw an interception,” Daboll deadpanned.

    “Terrible decision and awful mistake,” Jones said, always taking the high road.

    GM Joe Schoen’s offensive line depth proved atrocious against a Seahawks defense that was hemorrhaging yards in their first three games. Left tackle Josh Ezeudu, Schmitz, right guard Marcus McKethan and right tackle Evan Neal are all Schoen draft picks.

    Schoen’s lack of a punt returner reared its head when rookie Eric Gray muffed a first quarter punt, which was an inevitability to anyone who watches the team practice.

    Nick McCloud recovered that one, but then Daboll put corner Adoree Jackson of all people back to replace Gray for the rest of the game.

    Jackson, the Giants’ top corner, got hurt returning a punt last year — a mistake Daboll still refuses to own to this day.

    The facts are this, however:

    The Giants are 1-3 with road games at the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills on deck. Tyrod Taylor has played in three of the Giants’ four games because they were blowouts.

    Daboll’s offense has scored a total of nine first-half points this season: zero against the Cowboys, zero against the Cardinals, six against the 49ers and three against the Seahawks. The Giants have led for 19 total seconds in their four games, at the end of their Week 2 comeback in Arizona.

    Former Giant Geno Smith, the Seahawks’ QB, was absolutely livid at a sideline hit by Isaiah Simmons that injured Smith’s knee. So Monday’s game got chippy as Smith and Julian Love took it to their former franchise.

    “Ugly situation, but I feel a lot better,” Smith said, who said he heard jawing from “the coaches [and] the fans. It is what it is. Anytime you’re on the road it’s gonna be like that. So we expected it.”

    But no matter: by the late third quarter, Giants fans were streaming for the exits. By the early fourth quarter, they were gone.

    By the middle of the fourth quarter, the boos from the disgusted Giants fans were replaced by cheers and chants of “Hawks!” from the visitors.

    Even ESPN’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman couldn’t wait until the broadcast was over.

    Schoen’s and Daboll’s Giants are a laughingstock. And it’s hard to imagine they’ll be allowed to play in too many more prime time games.

    Because no one wants to watch this.

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    Pat Leonard

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  • Onion Sports’ NFL Divisional Round Picks

    Onion Sports’ NFL Divisional Round Picks

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    Onion Sports shares its expert analysis on the teams that will come away with victory in the NFL’s Divisional Round.

    Jaguars at Chiefs

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    Jaguars: Expect Chiefs coach Andy Reid to have something special up his sleeve for this game. Unfortunately, that will just be a dozen hot dogs.

    Offensive Player To Watch: Jaguars

    Offensive Player To Watch: Jaguars

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    Zay Jones: The Jags wide receiver has the field awareness needed to witness numerous Trevor Lawrence interceptions.

    Defensive Player To Watch: Jaguars

    Defensive Player To Watch: Jaguars

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    Josh Allen: This could be a perfect opportunity for the pass rusher to pick up a loose quarterback on the ground and return it for a touchdown.

    Offensive Player To Watch: Chiefs

    Offensive Player To Watch: Chiefs

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    Patrick Mahomes: Kansas City’s star QB is expected to have his best State Farm commercial yet.

    Defensive Player To Watch: Chiefs

    Defensive Player To Watch: Chiefs

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    Chris Jones: Expect the massive defensive tackle to struggle to make it out of the Jaguars’ backfield.

    Giants at Eagles

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    Eagles: Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have what it takes to bring a small dollop of joy to Philadelphia citizens’ otherwise bleak, empty lives.

    Offensive Player To Watch: Giants

    Offensive Player To Watch: Giants

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    Daniel Jones: The quarterback has a bright future with his next team.

    Defensive Player To Watch: Giants

    Defensive Player To Watch: Giants

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    Dexter Lawrence: The Giants colossal nose tackle will rely on his flexibility and athleticism, which allow him to change direction at least once per game.

    Offensive Player To Watch: Eagles

    Offensive Player To Watch: Eagles

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    Jason Kelce: The Eagles’ Pro Bowl center is reportedly practicing a knuckleball hike

    Defensive Player To Watch: Eagles

    Defensive Player To Watch: Eagles

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    Ndamukong Suh: Though playing as a backup, the veteran Suh is hoping he still has a few more dirty plays left in him.

    Bengals at Bills

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    Bengals: After Week 17’s suspended matchup, Cincinnati will be eager to get revenge on Damar Hamlin.

    Offensive Player To Watch: Bengals

    Offensive Player To Watch: Bengals

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    Joe Burrow: Pretty much just needs to go out there and not throw 20 picks to go down as the best quarterback in Bengals history.

    Defensive Player To Watch: Bengals

    Defensive Player To Watch: Bengals

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    Eli Apple: The feisty cornerback will do whatever it takes to be dragged into the end zone while clinging to Josh Allen’s back.

    Offensive Player to Watch: Bills

    Offensive Player to Watch: Bills

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    Stefon Diggs: Buffalo’s wideout has shown the ability to make seemingly impossible catches, rending the delicate fabric of our so-called “reality” and plunging NFL fans into a horrid abyss of unfathomable madness.

    Defensive Player To Watch: Bills

    Defensive Player To Watch: Bills

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    Tremaine Edmunds: The middle linebacker is the heart and soul and lower intestine and trachea and stapes bone of the Bills defense.

    Cowboys at 49ers

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    49ers: San Francisco has better defenders, a more explosive offense, and it’s just really gratifying to see Jerry Jones absolutely fucking miserable.

    Offensive Player To Watch: Cowboys

    Offensive Player To Watch: Cowboys

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    Dak Prescott: He has the kind of arm that can ruin the hopes and dreams of any Cowboys fan.

    Defensive Player To Watch: Cowboys

    Defensive Player To Watch: Cowboys

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    Micah Parsons: Keep a close eye on the Dallas linebacker, who is a dual threat as a pass rusher and a player who can turn completely invisible for multiple quarters.

    Offensive Player To Watch: 49ers

    Offensive Player To Watch: 49ers

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    Brock Purdy: Luckily for San Francisco, Brock Purdy has zero professional experience with losing and barely comprehends the concept of defeat.

    Defensive Player To Watch: 49ers

    Defensive Player To Watch: 49ers

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    Nick Bosa: Expect Bosa to come out strong on every play in order to sack Dak Prescott before he has the chance to throw a pick.

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  • Giants’ Jones practices, making ‘lot of progress’

    Giants’ Jones practices, making ‘lot of progress’

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    EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Quarterback Daniel Jones‘ sprained left ankle has improved and he practiced a little as the New York Giants started preparations for Sunday’s game in London against the Green Bay Packers.

    Coach Brian Daboll did not say how much work Jones would get Wednesday, but he seemed encouraged his quarterback is responding to treatment.

    “He’s pretty tough individual,” Daboll said. “I think he’s made a lot of progress since after the game and been in the treatment room pretty consistently throughout these last couple of days. So, you know, we’ll put him out there, give him some reps and see where he’s at.”

    Daboll said the Giants also would want to evaluate his ankle on a daily basis before making a decision on whether he would play. He probably would be a game-time decision.

    Backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor remained in the concussion protocol, Daboll said. Like Jones, Taylor was hurt in the second half of the Giants’ 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

    Practice squad quarterback Davis Webb, who has never started an NFL game, would be the Giants’ third option.

    The Giants did little with the quarterbacks in the portion of the practice that was open to reporters. Jones did take one snap and roll to his right. He moved very well, wearing a pair of high top red shoes inside the bubble.

    Rain forced the team to practice inside.

    New York also placed cornerback Aaron Robinson on injured reserve with a knee issue. He started the first game, missed the next two because of appendicitis and then was hurt against the Bears in his return.

    Center Nick Gates, who broke his left leg early last season, was taken off the physically unable to perform list and returned to practice for the first time in more than a year.

    Gates was hurt against Washington and had multiple surgeries. He was injured in his first start at left guard, a move made to help the team with Shane Lemieux out for the season.

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