New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who missed the last three games with a neck injury, has been cleared for contact and is expected to start against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, according to multiple reports.
Jones suffered a neck contusion in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins and was ruled out for the following games against the New England Patriots, the Buffalo Bills, and the New York Jets. The Giants went 1-2 in his absence, averaging only 11 points and under 300 yards of offense per game.
The Giants announced on Sunday morning that Jones was cleared by doctors, but he did not suit up for the game against the Jets. Instead, backup Tyrod Taylor started and left the game in the second quarter with a rib injury. Third-stringer Tommy DeVito finished the game, which the Giants lost 13-10 in overtime.
Jones’s return is a piece of welcome news for the Giants, who are 2-6 and in last place in the NFC East. Jones has completed 68.9% of his passes for 884 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions in five games this season. He has also rushed for one touchdown and been sacked 28 times.
The Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract extension this offseason, hoping that he would be their franchise quarterback for the future. However, he has struggled to live up to that expectation so far, as he has been plagued by injuries and turnovers.
The Raiders, who are 5-2 and in first place in the AFC West, will present a tough challenge for Jones and the Giants. The Raiders have one of the best offenses in the league, averaging 28.6 points and 392.7 yards per game. They also have a formidable pass rush, led by Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue, who have combined for 12 sacks this season.
The Giants will need Jones to play at his best level if they want to pull off an upset and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Jones will also need to prove that he can be the leader and playmaker that the Giants paid him to be.
One of Jones’ teammates, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, expressed his confidence in the quarterback’s ability to bounce back from his injury and lead the team.
“He’s a tough guy. He’s a competitor. He wants to be out there with us,”I know he’s going to do everything he can to get back on the field as soon as possible.”
Shepard
The Giants will host the Raiders on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium.
