The New York Giants have been playing more competent football in the last two weeks. After nearly pulling off an upset against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football in Week 6, they picked up their second win of the season in Week 7 over the Washington Commanders.
The only issue with the recent turnaround is that it has come with starting quarterback Daniel Jones sidelined. Jones has missed the last two games because of a neck injury suffered in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.
In his place, the Giants have turned to veteran Tyrod Taylor. Outside of a blunder before halftime against the Bills, Taylor is producing at a better clip than Jones has at any point this season outside the second half against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.
That has led to some people speculating whether or not a quarterback controversy is brewing in New York. One of those people is former MVP, and current NFL analyst, Boomer Esiason. At one point Sunday afternoon, he believed the Giants not only had a controversy, but benching Jones was likely.
“I would just say, Tyrod Taylor, the last two games, looks like he’s reasonably stable, and at halftime, Tyrod Taylor was in the midst of having a really good game,” Esiason explained during Monday’s edition of the WFAN “Boomer and Gio” program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “Tyrod Taylor was good. They actually had some life on offense…Tyrod looked really good. I was thinking to myself at halftime, we got ourselves a quarterback controversy. And then…100 yards in the second half and not much.”
While the second half against Washington was certainly disappointing, it wasn’t all Taylor’s fault. A muffed punt by Sterling Shepard ruined what would have been a three-and-out to start the half, which turned into the only Commanders touchdown of the game. The Giants were set up for at least a field goal in the fourth quarter before a fumble by Saquon Barkley.
Most importantly, Taylor wasn’t doing anything to put the team in harm’s way. He didn’t commit untimely turnovers, which has been an issue for Jones this season. The blocking for Taylor hasn’t gotten any better, but he is making the right reads and decisions with the ball.
The fact there are any discussions about Jones, seven months after agreeing to a contract that pays $40 million annually, could be benched probably means the Giants made a bad decision agreeing to that contract. If Jones isn’t cleared to play and Taylor can put together another good performance in Week 8 against the New York Jets, the calls for a change to be made will get even louder.
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