In the past two weeks, the New York Giants’ offense has been underwhelming, particularly in the passing game. Quarterback Daniel Jones had shown some potential earlier, but his recent back-to-back poor performances have frustrated fans.
The offense has failed to produce big plays, struggled to convert on third downs, and has had difficulty handling defensive pressure.
What has caused this decline? Analyzing both film and statistics provides some insights.
Dealing with Defensive Pressure
In games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, Jones faced pressure 28 times, resulting in ten sacks. Under this intense pressure, Jones, who has struggled in such situations historically, has made some poor decisions.
Against the Eagles, he was pressured 13 times, with seven leading to sacks. His pressure-to-sack rate surged to 50%, the worst in the league for Week 7, with over 43% of his dropbacks under duress.
The Bengals game yielded similar challenges for Jones and the passing game. He threw an interception in the red zone after being pressured and hit while attempting a throw.
While Jones wasn’t sacked as often in Week 6 as in Week 7, he still looked uncomfortable in the pocket and lacked confidence.
Third-Down Struggles
The Giants have had a tough time on third downs lately, converting only eight of 29 attempts. The persistent pressure has made Jones jittery, leading to rushed throws and reads.
Overall, the Giants’ offense has not been consistently effective. According to NexGen Stats, their receivers have averaged just 3.7 yards of separation when targeted.
Their performance against man-to-man coverage has been erratic, partly due to receivers struggling to get open and the execution of opposing defensive lines.
For instance, during a 2nd-and-1 play against the Eagles, receiver Malik Nabers drew a double-team, allowing Darius Slayton to break free. However, Jones missed the opportunity to connect due to pressure forcing him to make an off-target throw.
Lack of Big Plays
Jones has thrown five deep passes (20+ air yards) over the last two games, failing to complete any. Notably, he faced pressure or blitzes on each attempt.
He missed a deep crossing route to Wan’Dale Robinson against the Bengals due to pressure, and he overthrew both Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt on deep throws in the same game.
Without adequate protection and comfort in the pocket, Jones is hesitant to take risks downfield. His average depth of target (aDOT) this season is 7.3, ranking 22nd in the league per Pro Football Focus.
The Giants must find ways to create explosive plays in the passing game to enhance their running game’s effectiveness.
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