By Mark Gallagher
The Redskins got a look yesterday at what a real rookie quarterback can do!
Daniel Jones threw for 352 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes to help the New York Giants beat the Redskins 41-35 in overtime. He joined Matthew Stafford as the only rookie QBs since 1950 to throw for 300-plus yards and five-plus TDs in a game.
The sixth overall pick said he didn’t look at his stat line. Ending a personal eight-game skid with a 3-yard TD pass to Kaden Smith with 4:15 in overtime spoke for itself.
”He did awesome,” said Smith, who caught two touchdown passes from Jones. ”I’m proud of him. Everyone was confident in him, he was confident in himself and he just made all the right plays.”
Jones was 28 of 42 in his first action since missing the past two games with a sprained right ankle. He also connected on scores with Sterling Shepard, Saquon Barkley and Cody Latimer.
Barkley was the perfect complement for Jones and tormented a Redskins secondary missing several regulars. He was responsible for 279 total yards: 189 rushing and 90 receiving and a score each way.
”I think that’s kind of what they envisioned when they drafted D.J. and drafted me,” Barkley said. ”I think we both have the potential and the talent to play well together and open stuff up for each other.”
The trio of Jones, Barkley and Shepard showed further evidence that whoever is running the Giants (4-11) next season has talented building blocks to work with on offense, along with a high draft pick. Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman’s jobs are in jeopardy, though the embattled coach downplayed winning as a way to prove to ownership he deserves to stay.
”Getting a win is important for all of us,” Giants coach Shurmur said. ”We’re not doing it for those reasons. We’re doing it because it’s what we do. How anybody evaluates that, that’s out of our control.”
The Redskins (3-12) moved into the driver’s seat for the No. 2 pick. If the Cincinnati Bengals, who clinched the top pick with their overtime loss at Miami, opt for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, it would give Washington the first opportunity to select Ohio State pass rusher Chase Young.
The Chase Young Bowl was a showcase of prolific playmaking and bad defense. Barkley ran for 108 yards on his first four carries, while Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins was 12 of 15 for 133 yards and two TD passes before injuring his left ankle on the first play of the second half.
Redskins head physician Dr. Robin West said she did not clear Haskins to return. Haskins said owner Dan Snyder encouraged him to listen to medical advice and not go back in the game.
”I tried to go back in, but he wouldn’t let me,” Haskins said. ”It’s an ankle. It’ll be all right.”
Veteran Case Keenum relieved Haskins and threw his first passes since Oct. 24, when he was concussed at Minnesota. He was 16 of 22 for 158 yards and rushed for the tying score with 29 seconds left in the fourth to cap off a 99-yard drive.
Jones led the Giants on an 11-play, 66-yard drive in overtime to salvage the victory.
”You see it as a huge opportunity, and you’re excited for that,” Jones said of OT. ”That’s kind of what you look forward to, what you play for is an opportunity to do that – to go down and win the game.”
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