Giants need Daniel Jones’ return to spark quest to save season vs. Raiders

Is the Giants’ season really over?

Honestly, the amount of energy devoted to answering that question this week has been both amusing and alarming.

Of course there is plenty of season left. Of course there are winnable games remaining on the schedule, starting with Sunday in Las Vegas against the delightfully dysfunctional Raiders. Of course there’s a pathway to the playoffs, even if may be narrower than a slice of loose-leaf paper turned on its side.

But it’s all beside the point. The Giants can’t concern themselves with what they might be able to do in December any more than the can afford to obsess about recent near-miss heartbreaks against the Bills and Jets. There is only one way to do this if you’re the Giants, and it’s the oldest and simplest trick in the book: One week at a time. One game at a time. One quarter at a time. One play at a time.

All of this is a better bet now that Daniel Jones is back in the fold. Now it’s about keeping him healthy, and upright, and it’s about Jones playing well. He’s played well for one half so far this year. The opportunity is right there for him, and for the Giants, starting Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

Can’t win six in a row till you win one in a row.

“I’m excited to be back in the swing of things and going through the week preparing to play,” Jones said earlier this week, as he practiced fully for the first time in four weeks, missing three games.

“I feel good. I feel recovered. I’ve had a few weeks here not playing, so I used that to stay in shape. But excited to be back. I do feel fresh having not played in a few weeks and trying to do what I can to improve physically in the weight room and on the field and throwing.”

The Giants only need Jones the way the rest of us need oxygen.

While he was gone, the Giants’ defense has taken a few enormous steps forward, though it’ll be interesting to see how much those strides may be altered now that Leonard Williams is playing in Seattle.

With a remotely competent offense the Giants might be on a three-game winning streak. Tyrod Taylor got the Giants in the end zone twice against the Commanders two weeks ago, but that was flanked by two rough goes in Buffalo (just three field goals) and last week against the Jets, where after scoring their 10th point the Giants’ offense essentially played four-corners the rest of the way.

That’ll be different in Vegas, because the franchise quarterback is back in the fold. Perhaps there’ll be some win-one-for-the-Gipper sentiment in the desert thanks to old friend Antonio Pierce taking over for Josh McDaniels after an odd early-week firing. It shouldn’t matter. The Giants may be 2-6 and the Raiders 3-5, and the Raiders may be narrow favorites. But the Giants have to see this as an opportunity.

An opportunity to win one in a row.

An opportunity to regroup.

And an opportunity to see who they are and what they can be now that their $160 million man is back under center.

And Jones can’t wait to grab the keys and take the offense for a spin.

“I think we’re all focused on doing that,” he said, talking about the Giants’ hope to finally generate some offense. “I think we’re all focused on doing what we can to help make plays, score points, and do what we can to put the team in position to win games. That’s what we’re focused on as a group, and we’re excited to do it.”

And not a moment too soon. Jones took a beating across all five weeks he played, and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before something bad would happen. Then something bad did happen. He will still be playing behind an offensive line that is in a constant state of flux, so he’ll have to be smart both with the ball and with his body.

“I’m going to continue to be aggressive and look for opportunities to run when they’re there, and then be smart, get down and protect myself also,” he said. “That’s something I’ve always tried to do and try to continue to improve at.”

Sunday in the desert is as good a time as any to do that. As good a time as any to start a one-game winning streak.