NGT: Jones to Vikings active roster

[EDjohnst1981]

Rich: There are some QB's (this applies to ALL players) who just look like they've been in the NFL for ten years shortly after entering the league as a rookie. If he doesn't get hurt, Daniels has the potential to wind up about as good as Mahomes. We'll see. Bob

True, I'm always mindful of getting over excited on rookie play from a QB. Look at Stroud this year and last - although he's been decimated by injuries, he still came up big on Saturday night.

I just think a rookie QB needs a little more time for evaluation - unlike other positions, such as Nabers for example, whom I'm convinced will be a PB/All Pro etc.

[MightyGiants]

Rich: There are some QB's (this applies to ALL players) who just look like they've been in the NFL for ten years shortly after entering the league as a rookie. If he doesn't get hurt, Daniels has the potential to wind up about as good as Mahomes. We'll see. Bob

Bob,

Barring injury, I see his ceiling being current-day Lamar Jackson (at least their play styles are more similar), but overall, I agree.  Unfortunately for the Giants and us as fans, it looks like the Commanders got themselves a keeper.

[MightyGiants]

True, I'm always mindful of getting over excited on rookie play from a QB. Look at Stroud this year and last - although he's been decimated by injuries, he still came up big on Saturday night.

I just think a rookie QB needs a little more time for evaluation - unlike other positions, such as Nabers for example, whom I'm convinced will be a PB/All Pro etc.

Agreed, all (and QBs, most of all) run the risk of a sophomore slump.  That said, there don't appear to be many weaknesses in Daniel's game.  The thing that struck me with Stroud in the playoffs last year was it seemed the defense was carrying the team more than Stroud and the offense.   At least one game in, Daniels seems to have a bigger role in carrying the Commanders to success.   What's really scary is Washington has the 3rd most effective cap space next year, so the team is likely to be even more talented in 2025

[Bob In PA]

Bob,

Barring injury, I see his ceiling being current-day Lamar Jackson (at least their play styles are more similar), but overall, I agree.  Unfortunately for the Giants and us as fans, it looks like the Commanders got themselves a keeper.

Rich: I see A LOT OF Mahomes in Daniels. I probably can't describe it, but here goes... Both men appear to be "watching the game from the press box" rather than playing in it. They are calm, never look rattled (the Bucs blitzed the heck out of him yesterday... if panic was EVER going to happen, it would have shown up in that game). Instead, he, like Mahomes, continued to look like he was at practice on a lazy summer day. And don't forget, the Commanders' OL pass protection yesterday was crap. Bucs were the most (and best) blitzing team in the NFL this season, IMO. Bob

[TDToomer]

I see this thread has spun way off course of the subject title. So is Jones going to be the #2 tonight behind Darnold.

[MightyGiants]

I see this thread has spun way off course of the subject title. So is Jones going to be the #2 tonight behind Darnold.

We likely won't know until the Vikings announce their inactive emergency QB


This is what we currently know:

Speaking to local reporters Thursday, coach Kevin O'Connell twice declined to say if Mullens or Jones would be Darnold's backup Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC's wild-card round.


"[Jones] definitely has progressed," O'Connell said. "He's gotten a lot of really good work in both running scout team works and then just extra work here and there when he can with [quarterbacks coach Josh McCown] and Nick and Brett [Rypien] as well. ... The best way I can put it is we're doing everything we can to get Sam ready to go, but at the same time, whether it's Nick or Daniel or Brett, having all those guys absorbing the game plan like always. It's such a fluid thing here the rest of the way. We're going to do whatever we think gives us the best chance to win."

Asked if that meant there was a chance Jones could be the No. 2 quarterback on Monday night, O'Connell said the Vikings would "do whatever it takes to give us the best chance to win here the rest of the way."

[kingm56]

Rich: I see A LOT OF Mahomes in Daniels. I probably can't describe it, but here goes... Both men appear to be "watching the game from the press box" rather than playing in it. They are calm, never look rattled (the Bucs blitzed the heck out of him yesterday... if panic was EVER going to happen, it would have shown up in that game). Instead, he, like Mahomes, continued to look like he was at practice on a lazy summer day. And don't forget, the Commanders' OL pass protection yesterday was crap. Bucs were the most (and best) blitzing team in the NFL this season, IMO. Bob

I couldn't agree more, Bob.  What I find amusing is the rush to give Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury, two coaches who were run out of town at their last jobs, equal credit for the Commanders' turnaround. I actually believe the Giants have offensive talent comparable to Washington's, which highlights the critical importance of the quarterback position. Daniels is the real deal because he is the real deal. All this talk about support pillars and the like is just an overcomplication of a simple principle. The quarterback is the key, and when you have the right one, everything else falls into place.

[Bob In PA]

I couldn't agree more, Bob.  What I find amusing is the rush to give Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury, two coaches who were run out of town at their last jobs, equal credit for the Commanders' turnaround. I actually believe the Giants have offensive talent comparable to Washington's, which highlights the critical importance of the quarterback position. Daniels is the real deal because he is the real deal. All this talk about support pillars and the like is just an overcomplication of a simple principle. The quarterback is the key, and when you have the right one, everything else falls into place.

king: I agree. It's a case of a great player making two average coaches look a bit better than average. Bob

[MightyGiants]

I couldn't agree more, Bob.  What I find amusing is the rush to give Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury, two coaches who were run out of town at their last jobs, equal credit for the Commanders' turnaround. I actually believe the Giants have offensive talent comparable to Washington's, which highlights the critical importance of the quarterback position. Daniels is the real deal because he is the real deal. All this talk about support pillars and the like is just an overcomplication of a simple principle. The quarterback is the key, and when you have the right one, everything else falls into place.

Matt,

Why do you always need to use abrasive/inflammatory comments like "I find it amusing" because people have opinions different from your own???

We get it; you believe that coaching doesn't matter.  You continue to cling to this believe despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.  Just look at how the Chargers went from the 4th worst team in the NFL despite having Herbert to having a 12-win season because they upgraded their head coach.

You can compare how the Commanders had a massive turnaround thanks to BOTH a new QB AND a new coaching staff.  Look at the Pats, despite adding an outstanding QB, they were still as bad as last season because they had a poor HC and staff.  One can even look at the Bears and the struggles the consensus best QB prospect had, thanks to poor coaching.

In the end, it's all very important-  QB, coaching, and GM.  It makes no sense to belittle the importance of any of those key positions.

[kingm56]

king: I agree. It's a case of a great player making two average coaches look a bit better than average. Bob

He's a special player, Bob. Last night I couldn't help but be impressed with his accuracy, command presence and general calmness under pressure.  In contrast, Mayfield fumbled the ball because he looked rushed.  Unfortunately, we're going to have to deal with Daniels for the next decade.  He's the QB I wanted last year.  I suspect this year would have been very different, if we didn't win 3 meaningless games the year before.  Oh well, I hope we find our guy sooner, rather than later. 

[Bob In PA]

He's a special player, Bob. Last night I couldn't help but be impressed with his accuracy, command presence and general calmness under pressure.  In contrast, Mayfield fumbled the ball because he looked rushed.  Unfortunately, we're going to have to deal with Daniels for the next decade.  He's the QB I wanted last year.  I suspect this year would have been very different, if we didn't win 3 meaningless games the year before.  Oh well, I hope we find our guy sooner, rather than later. 

king: As for Mayfield, like Collinsworth said, we're not sure what happened. The "fault" or timing error could have been on any of three players: the center, the motion man, or the QB. The way I viewed the replay Mayfield, after getting the ball, lunged at the motion man after missing his first attempt to hand him the ball, which tells me he was SUPPOSED to give him the ball (i.e., it was not a fake handoff). That viewpoint doesn't narrow down the culprit AT ALL because it still could have been Mayfield's fault for calling for the snap to occur at the wrong time relative to the location of the motion man. Bob

[kingm56]

king: As for Mayfield, like Collinsworth said, we're not sure what happened. The "fault" or timing error could have been on any of three players: the center, the motion man, or the QB. The way I viewed the replay Mayfield, after getting the ball, lunged at the motion man after missing his first attempt to hand him the ball, which tells me he was SUPPOSED to give him the ball (i.e., it was not a fake handoff). That viewpoint doesn't narrow down the culprit AT ALL because it still could have been Mayfield's fault for calling for the snap to occur at the wrong time relative to the location of the motion man. Bob

I agree with your analysis, Bob! 

As for Mayfield, he still hasn't taken the next step.  From his rookie season, he's been an above average QB; yet, he's still prone to critical mistakes and has yet to prove he can be "the man" in critical moments.  In contrast, Daniels clearly has "it."   

[MightyGiants]

@Bob In PA


https://x.com/The33rdTeamFB/status/1878863765212729481

[EDjohnst1981]

I see this thread has spun way off course of the subject title. So is Jones going to be the #2 tonight behind Darnold.

Late last week he was the 3rd/emergency QB.

[TDToomer]

Officially third string/emergency QB tonight. But hey 10-12 teams wanted him and 3 were going to make him a starter.