The media hoard swarmed Daniel Jones on Thursday night after the New York Giants’ 25-23 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 of the preseason. Meanwhile Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion, sat quietly in the corner with no one bothering him.
The scene, captured by Newsday Sports’ Tom Rock in a photo below, served as a nice representation of New York’s feelings for the two quarterbacks. Jones was 9 of 11 for 141 yards on Thursday, with at least two beautiful downfield throws. Maybe he wasn’t who New York wanted when the Giants drafted Jones at 6th overall in April. But the city seems to love him in August. And very quickly, Manning has become old news.
“You can ask me all you want about why I like (Jones),” Giants coach Pat Shurmur told reporters after the game. “I think it’s time to start asking the people that didn’t like him what they think, quite frankly.”
The narrative is staggeringly positive after starting quite negative.
To be fair, there’s a chance Manning already spoke with the media. Because of that, reporters might have left him alone. Still, the image is too perfect. Jones has captivated city’s sports fans. And in the process, he’s stealing the spotlight — and perhaps eventually a job — from Manning.
