Duke football: Daniel Jones’ struggles continue in Giants’ embarrassment

Former Duke football quarterback Daniel Jones (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Former Duke football quarterback Daniel Jones (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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Former Duke football quarterback Daniel Jones continues to struggle for the New York Giants.

The New York Giants didn’t win in their first two weeks, but the team was at least competitive against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears, two above-average teams in the NFL.

Those two games, coupled with the plethora of injuries to the San Francisco 49ers, made many think that Big Blue had a chance on Sunday to try and pick up its first victory of the season.

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Unfortunately for Giant fans, New York was one of the worst teams in the NFL on Sunday, right next to its crosstown rival and partner in MetLife Stadium, the New York Jets.

Daniel Jones and the Giants lost, 36-9, to the 49ers, who were without 10 starters and several key backups.

Things did not go well at all for Jones, who struggled, completing just 17-of-32 passes for 179 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

Jones also fumbled on a pitch to tight end Evan Engram, who could not handle the high toss, and he was sacked twice for a loss of 14 yards.

The former Blue Devil also rushed five times for 49 yards and was the leading rusher for the Giants in their first game without All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley, who tore his ACL in last week’s loss to the Bears.

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Jones has been the leading rusher for the Giants twice in three weeks this season, and in Week 2 the former No. 6 overall pick was seven yards behind Barkley for being the team’s leading rusher once again.

Granted, Daniel Jones did not have one of his favorite targets in Sterling Shepard, who was out with an injury, but looking at what backup quarterback Nick Mullens did for the 49ers, with his surrounding weapons, excuses are not an option for Jones and the Giants.

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Things certainly do not get any easier for Daniel Jones and the New York Giants as the team travels to the West Coast to face Aaron Donald and the Los Angles Rams on Sunday, October 4, with kickoff scheduled for 4:05pm EST on FOX at the brand new SoFi Stadium.