With each passing week, it becomes more apparent that quarterback Daniel Jones will never be the quarterback the New York Giants are in 2022, where he led the team to a 9-7-1 record and reached the postseason for the first time since 2016 . First postseason win since 2011.

While many would argue that Jones got lucky that season and wasn’t that good to begin with, there were a few changes between the seasons that could only be pointed out as significantly different in his performance.

The biggest difference was Jones’ mobility. While Jones has clearly been cleared to return after suffering an ACL tear last year, his reluctance to move in the pocket when the pressure is on leaves one to wonder if he could possibly return after almost a year. The day still hasn’t fully returned.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jones 20 out of 83 pressures are allowed against him (18.2%) and on six of the 25 sacks he has absorbed this season.

18.2% fourth highest He is among the quarterbacks who had at least 75 dropbacks under pressure.

Those numbers are up from 2022, when Jones accounted for just 16.7% of the 143 pressures he received (11th-most among quarterbacks with a minimum of 75 dropbacks under pressure) and 10 of 44 total sacks.

Jones, who didn’t help the offensive line by moving in the pocket, became more of a gun-shy duck the more he got hit.

Second, equally important, the Giants need fewer runs for their quarterbacks. Jones had 53 designed runs this season and averaged just 3.5 yards per attempt. In 2022, he had 144 rushing attempts, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt.

Without the above-average mobility he had before his knee injury, Jones “regressed” from being a next-generation point guard who relied on his feet as much, if not more, than his arm, to a pocket passer. This isn’t his strong suit, given his lack of emotion and hesitation to throw the ball until he trusts what he sees; This is something that can be subconsciously associated with the fear of making mistakes.

In 2022, the deep ball wasn’t as much of an issue for Jones, who completed 10 of 26 pass attempts for 20-plus yards (38.5%) for 359 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. His numbers are trending in the wrong direction this year, as he went 7/28 (25%) for 231 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was asked if there was some kind of magic formula for a quarterback to be more consistent in throwing with anticipation and hitting receivers with strides; Something Jones has trouble doing.

“From a quarterback’s perspective, it’s about your feet and the timing of your feet,” he said. “It’s about the depth of the route. We’re talking about this in the receiver room. So all of these need to be compatible with each other.

“Then the news can also dictate that. So, we’re seeing post-snap coverage and playing split-safety defenses. Where is that area on that defense or that spot on that defense, where is the open space? And then how does the quarterback need to step up and increase his depth for the receiver to get to that spot to attack the defense effectively?

Kafka, a former NFL quarterback, agreed that many elements of the passing game are out of a player’s control, but when it comes to a quarterback, getting his feet ready as quickly as possible is something that is within the player’s control and should be done. They work regularly.

“ “I think that’s what we’re emphasizing,” he said. “I don’t think I would say that’s the number one thing. Eyes, snap counts; Things that may happen before the snap can help you understand what will happen after the snap.

“So you can use all this information to your advantage. Then the basics of your feet, your eye position, who you’re looking at, and timing it based on the other person’s demeanor. “There’s a lot of things we work on every day, but that happens over time in any game.”

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However, Jones’ biggest issues have nothing to do with his ACL injury. He does not immediately trust what he sees outside, and this causes him to be late in his shots. As a result, the receiver is forced to stop frequently to catch the ball, which allows the defender to rush in to limit the field after catching the ball.

With the Giants having 367 yards after the catch this season. 20th in the leagueThe big plays head coach Brian Daboll is looking for have no chance of happening. And to this point, the Giants have 16 plays of 20-plus yards (tied for 30th) and just two plays of 40-plus yards.

While Daboll believes Jones gives the team the best chance to win out of the current trio of signal-callers (a pretty sad statement, all things considered), there’s no doubt the Giants need a lot more than Jones can do at the position. They look like they can make this offense turn out the way Daboll envisioned it.