Giants' blind faith in Daniel Jones bolsters Commanders chances in Week 2
The Washington Commanders didn't manage to come away with a morale-boosting victory at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. However, their fanbase is expecting a different outcome during their home opener at the newly named Northwest Stadium.
There were a couple of teams worse than the Commanders to begin the campaign. The Carolina Panthers were one - but Washington doesn't see them until Week 7. The New York Giants were the other after they were mauled at home by Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings.
This once again saw much-maligned quarterback Daniel Jones go through significant complications. The pressure is on the former first-round pick to improve and justify the substantial financial commitment made by the Giants. It was a disastrous start versus the Vikings, who made life extremely uncomfortable for the signal-caller thanks to Brian Flores' blitz-happy scheme.
Jones completed 52.38 percent of his passes for 186 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Duke product was sacked five times, earned a 17.6 QBR, and attained a lowly passer rating of 44.3 as a result of his efforts. And make no mistake, the natives are getting restless at MetLife Stadium.
Fans were seen burning Jones jerseys after the game. Some even stayed behind to hurl abuse at the quarterback as he left the stadium. That's uncalled for, to be honest, but it's a sign of how precarious his situation is after just one competitive NFL game.
Commanders will look to compound Daniel Jones' misery in Week 2
Despite deafening calls for the Giants to cut their losses, the team confirmed to reporters that Jones will be under center this weekend against the Commanders. This is a major boost to Washington's chances of getting their home slate off to a positive note. At the same time, it's also worth remembering how well Jones has performed in this division rivalry since he entered the league.
Jones has a 5-1-1 record in seven contests versus Washington. He's completed 69.68 percent of his passes for 1,510 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just three interceptions for a passer rating of 98.0. His ability to escape pressure has been a constant thorn in the Commanders' side. Considering how Baker Mayfield avoided potential sacks in Week 1, this is a problem that must be alleviated.
While Jones has excelled against Washington more than arguably any other team, his confidence is lower than ever before. There is also no Saquon Barkley to lean on in the backfield after he signed for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. Joe Whitt Jr. will be demanding improvements from his players after such a lackluster first showing. Getting the chance to put another nail in the quarterback's career coffin only sweetens the pot.
The Commanders will be focusing on themselves. Their defense was an abomination in Week 1. The secondary concerns before the campaign came to fruition quickly. There wasn't enough pressure on Mayfield. When it did arrive, they couldn't finish off plays effectively enough.
They need a sense of personal pride in a divisional clash this weekend. Jones will see this as the perfect game to bounce back and remind the world why he got such a lofty contract, to begin with. It all adds to the fascination during what has quickly become a must-win game for both teams.
