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Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants had a miserable evening Monday night, but perhaps the worst moment was when quarterback Daniel Jones threw an interception that was returned 97 yards for a touchdown by Seattle rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
Afterwards, coach Brian Daboll was seen on camera sending a firm message to his quarterback, first as Jones walked off the field and again on the bench. Daboll eventually flipped the tablet away in disgust.
“I was trying to show him, kind of, see what he thought, and then tell him what I saw,” Daboll said calmly after the 24-3 loss at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants (1-3) were at Seattle’s five-yard line at the time and threatening to make it a one-score game with 1:19 remaining in the third quarter. But Jones fired the ball left to Parris Campbell near the hashmark and it hit Witherspoon in the chest.
Daboll wouldn’t get into specifics on the play. But when asked what he wanted Jones to do, his answer was blunt.
“Obviously not throw an interception,” Daboll said.
Jones called the throw a “terrible decision and awful mistake” that he can’t afford making. It all but put the game away and left the Giants without a touchdown in either of their first two home games. New York has now been outscored 64-3 in its two home games this season. Only the 1975 Chargers scored fewer points in the Super Bowl era (0) in their first two home games. Witherspoon seemed to know what was coming on the crucial play.
“Just running the coverage,” he said. “We saw the play that we had seen on film [in that] formation. He ran basically a return route so I jumped it, he threw the ball and just tried to get to the ball. That was really my whole mindset.”
As for Daboll getting upset with his quarterback on the sideline, it’s not something completely unique. It was something that happened last year in the team’s opener when Jones threw a bad interception against the Tennessee Titans. It seemed to turn things around.
It now happened again in Week 4 of Daboll’s second season as well.
“I think we’re all frustrated,” Jones said. “I know I’ve got to play better and I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can to do that.”
The Giants play on the road Sunday against the Miami Dolphins (3-1).
The costly interception was hardly the Giants’ only costly miscue. Jones threw two interceptions in the contest and lost a fumble deep in his own territory that also turned into a touchdown several plays later. He now has seven turnovers in four games this season.
The mistake-prone Giants allowed 11 sacks in the contest. They also were flagged for six special teams penalties against Seattle. Whatever could go wrong, did.
It has been an awful start to the season for Jones and the Giants. He has thrown more interceptions in the first four games (6) than he did all of last year (5).
“I mean obviously I didn’t play well enough,” Jones said. “It was unacceptable and I let the team down, so I’ve got to fix it. I’ve got to work hard to get it right and I’m going to do that.”