Daniel Jones has turned out to be a pretty-good rookie quarterback this year. His remarkable numbers rank him behind only a handful of the best players in the league. With an unbelievable completion percentage, along with a league-leading QBR, he’s turned heads and opened eyes from fans, to scouts, to front offices. As with our other top performers so far this season, though, there are reasons to be skeptical about Blake’s long-term efficacy.
Through three games this season, Jones has completed 71.6% of his passes, ranking third in the league for completion percentage. His accuracy has been aided by the fact he’s the sixth lowest QB in off-target rate at 10.3%. Notably, he has made history as the only player in the past 90 years to achieve at least three rushing touchdowns and three passing touchdowns without any turnovers in the first three games of a season.
A Record-Setting Start
Jones’s early-season performance showcases his versatility as both a passer and a runner. He leads the league with a remarkable QBR of 87.7 on throws from the pocket. This highlights his dynamism, the playmaking ability that comes out when given time to create. His completion percentage of 69.6% on throws within the pocket really shows how he’s able to read defenses and find open receivers.
Further, Jones has been super effective when using play-action, going 12 for 14 this season while utilizing the tactic. His efficiency belied his killer instinct, as he made decisions with utmost precision. It shows just how good that offensive scheme in Indianapolis is. He’s been excellent on them, averaging a whopping 11.7 yds/att on designed rollouts. This milestone completion just adds to his holy-shit-he’s-good, dual-threat QB bona fides.
His numbers when facing man coverage have been equally impressive. His NFL highs include 9.8 yards per attempt and an 87.5 QBR against this defensive approach. This capacity to excel regardless of defensive game plan underlines just how early he is as a passer and ability to process as a quarterback.
Managing Pressure and Performance
Even with those accomplishments, Jones cooling off at such a high rate in high pressure situations, will be a test of consistency for Jones. First, he’s taken the blitz with swagger. He hit on two-thirds of his passes while boasting an impressive 9.9 yards per attempt when facing a blitz. When pressured with five or more players, he has only been sacked once. That still speaks a lot to his special ability to evade pressure and create on the run.
Jones has the freaking gold standard throw time in 2.96 seconds. This game puts him second only to Bryce Young as seventh fastest in the league. His compact release is great for avoiding sacks, but it’s capable of facilitating explosive, decisive plays downfield.
When combined with the quarterback’s rushing ability, it makes things even tougher on opposing defenses. He picked up 45 yards on eight scramble attempts. This is a great example of his escapability and ability to make something when the play isn’t there and his passing options dry up.
The Road Ahead
As the rest of the season plays out, Jones’s performance will be the focus of much attention. He has a 71.6 completion percentage and has thrown for 816 yards in three games this season. Keeping this up will be important for his individual hopes and the team’s championship dreams.
The pressure will be even greater when teams start to gameplan him and come up with ways specifically aimed at negating his strengths. Injuries or poor offense line play would be a threat to his progress if it’s not fixed quickly.
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