Daniel Jones now has one regular season start under his belt, and it was definitely a step in the right direction for his NFL career. Jones became the first rookie quarterback with 300+ passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a single game.
That's everything the Giants could've asked for and more. But Jones isn't going to just settle for the one game. He has many more ahead, and he's looking to get even better.
Looking over his game tape, Jones knows there are a few things that he can change heading into the new week with the Redskins on the schedule for Sunday. However, there is one main thing that he pointed out during his presser on Wednesday.
"I think the main thing is ball security," Jones said. "Can't afford to turn the ball over twice like that and critical points in the game. That's the first thing."
Jones is referencing his two fumbles from the game, one that came toward the end of the first half that the Bucs recovered, and the other when he was tomahawked from behind as he tried to launch a deep ball in the second half. The second one hurt the Giants more, with it coming right after Ryan Connelly caught an interception with the Bucs driving.
However, the negatives are definitely outweighed by the positives in Jones' debut. His ability to move in and out of the pocket and make the right decisions was stellar, and it was refreshing to see a Giants quarterback run a zone read. Jones showed that he definitely isn't afraid to run, and two touchdowns came from that confidence in his legs.
That performance garnered a whirlwind of praise, TV segments and hot takes. But that isn't something Jones is paying attention to.
"I think you're aware to some extent, and family and friends will keep you aware," Jones said when asked how much he's watched all the attention he's gotten. "But I'm trying to focus on this week."
He may not be paying attention, but the rest of the football world is. Jones is a new celebrity in the game, whether he says it or not. That wasn't the case when he was initially drafted by the Giants sixth overall, but that has certainly turned around quickly with this fanbase.
The support has now been pouring in, something Jones is very grateful for.
"I certainly appreciate the support and appreciative of all the fans," he said. "Just trying to keep it going, trying to stack a few wins together."
If the Giants can do just that with Jones at the helm, the support will become unwavering. We all know well how quickly New York fans can go from high to low, and this week's result against the Redskins Jones will realize that himself if he hasn't already.
Jones said that getting a win helps his confidence a little more, but he isn't changing much from his routine last week to now. He's preparing for the game ahead, taking things day by day, and blocking out the outside noise. That's something right out of Eli Manning's book of knowledge.
And just like Manning did after his own big games, Jones is already pointing out what he needs to fix. Because he's never going to be content with how he plays. Taking the next step forward -- a win with another great performance -- is the goal in mind.
Getting it done in front of a home crowd will make it even better, too.
"It's extremely important," Jones said when asked how important it is to follow up his big debut. "I think, like I said, there's a whole lot I need to clean up, to do better and I'll focus on that," he said. "I'll kinda lock in on those things this week and hopefully play better on Sunday.
"I'm excited to run out there in front of Giants fans. That'll be fun."