WATCH: Brian Daboll lays into Daniel Jones following fourth-quarter interception
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll was fuming Sunday after quarterback Daniel Jones threw an interception in the fourth quarter that cost the team a chance to tie the game Tennessee.
Facing third-and-7 from just inside the 10-yard line, Jones dropped back to pass and let to fly to Saquon Barkley in the corner of the end zone. However, safety Amani Hooker saw exactly where the ball was going and stepped in front for the pick.
That led Daboll to give his quarterback a chewing out on the sidelines.
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Whatever the coach said, it must have worked. Jones found a way to redeem himself on the very next drive, leading the Giants to the game-winning touchdown and converting to two-point conversion to give them a 21-20 lead with 1:06 remaining.
The interception wasn’t the only mistake from Daniel Jones on Sunday’s season opener, though. The quarterback also fumbled the ball in the second quarter as he accounted for both of New York’s turnovers on the afternoon. He finished the game 17-of-21 passing for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while adding 25 yards rushing.
The sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones is in his fourth NFL season. So far he has failed to lead the team to the playoffs across the first three years of his career, but hopes to change that in 2022.
Jones will hope to keep rolling next Sunday when the Giants play the Panthers at 1 p.m. ET.
Saquon Barkley caps big day with game-winning touchdown, two-point conversion
Saquon Barkley made it crystal clear all offseason long that he was sick and tired of all the doubters. He was ready to have a monster season and prove everyone wrong. On Sunday, the New York Giants franchise tailback began his campaign to back up all of his words in a big way, posting a monster performance that reminded everyone of his freakish ability.
Barkley scored a two-point conversion in the final minute to lift the Giants to a heart-stopping victory, 21-20. He dominated on Sunday afternoon and showed everyone that he’s still got the same juice that at one point, propelled him to becoming one of the best running backs in the league. His career has been slowed by injuries, but it’s safe to say the former Penn State star looks better than ever before.
On the ground, he racked up 164 rushing yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. As a receiver, he hauled in six catches for 30 receiving yards.
On3’s Wade Peery contributed to this report.