Although it came in a losing effort, Daniel Jones showed signs yet again Sunday that his future is bright.
WFAN's Boomer Esiason was among those singing Jones' praises after the Giants quarterback completed 26 of 40 passes for 308 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 34-27 loss to the Jets. But it wasn't all pretty, as Jones fumbled three times, losing one, which was returned by Jamal Adams for a Gang Green touchdown.
"I've got to tell you, Daniel Jones looks like the real deal," Esiason said at the start of Monday's "Boomer and Gio" show. "I mean, if he could just hold on to the ball and be a little bit more aware. But this is the growing pains of playing with a young quarterback. I mean, this is the second game where he's thrown four touchdown passes. I mean, he looks good. I mean, he really looks good. Except -- and you always have to throw the 'except' in there -- that he's giving the ball away."
Boomer added that it was "amazing" the Giants, thanks to Jones, scored 27 points while missing three starters along the offensive line.
Esiason, a former NFL MVP with the Cincinnati Bengals, compared Jones' progress as a rookie to where he was in his own career at that point.
"Thirty-five years ago was my first game, and it was against the Houston Oilers," Esiason said. "I was so lost and had no idea what the hell I was doing. I could not even remotely come even close to look like what Daniel Jones looked like yesterday. I wasn't looking like Daniel Jones did yesterday until like the back end of my second year.
"Yesterday, talking about Daniel with Coach (Bill) Cowher and Pat Kirwan and Phil Simms, we're all just amazed at how cool he is in the pocket and how sometimes the clock's not going off on him just yet, meaning that he has to play a little bit quicker. Not, like, frenetic. He's just got to get rid of the ball quicker, just understand things and just kind of anticipate things a little bit better and he'll be fine.
"I'm telling you he looks awesome in the pocket," Boomer added. "He really does."
Jones, of course, wasn't the only QB on the field to have a strong day.
"I thought both quarterbacks played really well given the recent history of what's gone on here. And Sam Darnold made some really nice plays," Esiason said. "He took off and ran with the ball. They had an RPO (run-pass option) for him to score a touchdown. All those things are great. He seemed like he was locked in."
Darnold finished 19-of-30 passing for 230 yards with a touchdown pass and a 2-yard TD run.
To listen to the open from Monday's "Boomer and Gio" show, in which the guys talk more about the Jets-Giants game, click on the audio player above.
