Sports
Can Giants QB Daniel Jones change narrative around him? Maybe not, but wins will help
SEATTLE — After six seasons as a New York Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones understands the New York media experience. That’s especially true when thinking about the ups (the 2022 playoff victory) and downs (where do you even want to begin?) of his career.
“There will always be a story of the week or a kind of idea that’s out there,” Jones explained Sunday. “It’s our job to know what’s real and know what’s going on. To fix the problems that are real but also to ignore the things that aren’t.”
This past week, Jones and his teammates were tasked with trying to ignore a narrative that suggested the Giants had no chance to beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The thinking went: This was a cross-country trip to one of the most hostile environments in the NFL against a quality opponent without two of their top playmakers in rookie sensation Malik Nabers and starting running back Devin Singletary. Coming off an ugly loss against Dallas last Thursday, the Giants had no chance. A fall to 1-4 was a given.
Or so the story of the week went.
But Jones and his teammates didn’t let a bad narrative get in the way of a good day. On Sunday, they played their most complete game of the year en route to a 29-20 victory that might just help change the trajectory of their season.
Jones, in particular, looked poised throughout Sunday’s game, racking up 257 yards and two touchdowns while going 23-of-34 passing. Of course, what’s more important than the quality stats — which he’s posted routinely lately — was marrying them with a win. Against Dallas, Jones’ final numbers looked good, but the scoreboard didn’t.
On Sunday, Jones made both shine.
“It all started with DJ just dicing the defense up, being confident as hell and just throwing the ball downfield,” right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said after Sunday’s victory.
Actually, the way things started Sunday, it certainly didn’t seem like a win was in the offing for New York. In fact, the Giants’ first offensive play seemed to foretell a rocky afternoon, as Jones tripped in the pocket and then fumbled, pushing the Giants within five yards of their own end zone. Jones recovered, however, and proceeded to lead a 10-minute drive down the field which ended catastrophically. Running back Eric Gray fumbled while diving into the end zone, and Seahawks safety Rayshawn Jenkins recovered it before running 102 yards for a Seattle touchdown.
99 yards and a skip into the endzone…
TOUCHDOWN RAYSHAWN JENKINS! pic.twitter.com/XY4wpFXLwI
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 6, 2024
But the Giants didn’t let the devastating start derail them. Instead, two series later, Jones marched the Giants 81 yards down the field and knotted the game 7-to-7 with a touchdown pass to Wan’Dale Robinson.
That’s six for Robinson 🫡
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/uoRBHFsui5
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024
Jones set up that 7-yard strike to Robinson with an 11-yard scamper. That was his longest run of a game in which he relied on his legs quite a bit. Jones rushed 11 times — more than any game since the 2023 season-opener (13) — for 38 yards.
While Jones’ legs are an asset, he should probably be more careful going forward, as he took a few cringe-inducing hits — though he delivered a few hits of his own, lowering his shoulder and impressing his teammates.
“That man does not feel pain because he was running right into the fricking smoke all day today,” Eluemunor said. “I mean as an offensive lineman, you’ll run through a brick wall for that type of guy.”
GO DEEPER
Giants return blocked field goal for TD, beat Seahawks
Fortunately for Jones’ health, the Giants running game didn’t rely solely on him trying to be a battering ram. Rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. stepped up in the absence of Singletary, rushing for 129 yards on 18 carries in his first career start. Gray, the second-year back, added 50 receiving yards on three receptions.
But it was the passing game where the Giants shined. A week after taking a lot of criticism for missing his deep shots, Jones connected on Sunday.
He finished 2-for-2 on passes that traveled 20-plus yards in the air, both of which went to veteran receiver Darius Slayton on the same drive. He hit Slayton down the near sideline for a 41-yard gain before connecting with Slayton again on a 30-yard score three plays later.
DJ LAUNCHES TO SLAYTON 🚀
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Ei9YalCAPD
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024
That Jones was so productive Sunday without Nabers, who had a league-high target share of 38.2 percent coming into the game, is encouraging. It’s even more encouraging that Jones keeps stringing together quality games. Over the past four weeks, Jones has completed 67.6 percent of passes, thrown for 952 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception while taking only seven sacks. Jones’ 0.18 EPA/dropback during that stretch (Weeks 2-5) ranked sixth in the league entering “Sunday Night Football.” Even with his abysmal Week 1 factored in, Jones is 15th in the NFL in EPA/dropback (0.04).
“It’s never been easy for him, but everything we’ve asked him to do, he does it the very best he can do it,” coach Brian Daboll said. “He’s played some good football here. We’re going to need him to continue to do that.”
It’s been and up-and-down start for New York, now 2-3, but the Giants offense has looked better each game and this week at least, the final score reflected that.
“I feel like I’m a better player than I was then,” Jones said when asked if he feels he’s back to his 2022 playoff level. “I’m a better player every week. That’s what you’re always striving for. I get comparing to ’22 or years past or whatever that — I don’t know how productive that really is. Just focus on getting better right now and being the best I can be week to week.”
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That’s a storyline you can always count on with Jones.
(Photo: Rio Giancarlo / Getty Images)
Sports
Will Ospreay firmly believes he can carry AEW if he’s able to win world championship at All In
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NEW YORK – Will Ospreay was able to live out his “dream match” on Sunday night at All Elite Wrestling (AEW)’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view in New York.
Ospreay squared off against Samoa Joe in the first round of the Owen Hart Men’s Tournament. The winner of the tournament will earn an AEW World Championship shot at All In – AEW’s premiere event of the year – at Wembley Stadium in England.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Will Ospreay defeated Samoa Joe in a wrestling match at AEW Double or Nothing in Queens, N.Y., on May 24, 2026. (Lee South/AEW)
He started the match with an OsCutter, catching Joe off guard. The two battled their way through the match but it was Ospreay who hit Joe with multiple Hidden Blades to get the win. The “Aerial Assassin” was asked about his ability to carry AEW on his shoulders and become the face of the company should he win the Owen and take the title later this year.
“It’s because I have that confidence and that belief I can carry those three letters,” he said at the post-show scrum. “The middle letter, ‘E,’ that’s the standard, mate – elite. When everybody talks about elite pro wrestling, there is no one better on this planet. I believe that with my heart. I believe that with my soul.
Samoa Joe and Will Ospreay compete in a wrestling match at AEW Double or Nothing in Queens, N.Y., on May 24, 2026. (Lee South/AEW)
“I know what I’m capable of. I know what I can do. This place, the motto, and it gets said over and over again, ‘this is where the best wrestle.’ No, mate. This is where the ‘Billy Goat’ wrestles. And I’m ready more than ever to take that top spot and to take AEW to new heights.”
Ospreay said he has dreamed about performing at Wembley Stadium as a pro wrestler while his schoolmates were dreaming of becoming soccer players.
He had battled back through a neck injury and worked out with the Death Riders to turn into the weapon he once was. The entire situation miffed Joe, which culminated in a match at Double or Nothing.
Ospreay will either face Mark Davis or Jack Perry in the semifinals. On the other side of the men’s bracket, Swerve Strickland defeated Bandido at Double or Nothing. He will either face Claudio Castagnoli or Brody King in the semis.
Will Ospreay competes in the ring during AEW Dynamite at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Oct. 2, 2024. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
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The finals of the Owen Cup will be held at Forbidden Door on June 28.
Good as advertised.
That’s all you can say about Dos Pueblos freshman outfielder Mattias Di Maggio, whose first year of high school baseball came to an end with a 13-6 playoff loss to Mira Costa. But what a season he had.
He struck out once in 84 at-bats (it came against a Santa Barbara left-handed pitcher). He set a school record with 11 home runs. He batted .508 with 36 hits and nine doubles.
Said Mira Costa coach Andy Diver: “Very special player. Most polished freshman I have ever seen.”
College and pro scouts are well aware of his talents, so it will be interesting to see what he can accomplish over the next three seasons of high school baseball. At least Goleta is going to be quite popular to visit just to see him play.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Victor Wembanyama scores 33 as Spurs dominate Thunder in Game 4 to even Western Conference Finals
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The San Antonio Spurs have evened up the Western Conference Finals in dominant fashion, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 103-82, on Sunday night.
With both teams winning two games now, it will be a pivotal matchup in Game 5 back at Paycor Center in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night to see who will have the upper hand heading into a decisive Game 6.
One of the biggest stories in this game revolved around the Thunder’s 3-point shooting percentage. It was such an advantage in Game 3’s victory, as they shot 44.7% and 48.1% from the field overall.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs scores a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 24, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
But the Spurs adjusted their defense, and it showed in Game 4 as the Thunder shot just 6 of 33 from beyond the arc (18%), resulting in only 33% shots made from the field.
San Antonio wasn’t much better, making only 27% of their 3s (9 of 33) and shooting just 39% from the field. However, they were playing aggressively and getting chances at the charity stripe, shooting 32 free throws compared to Oklahoma City’s 18.
2026 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS ODDS, BEST BETS, SERIES SPREAD: SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The aggression was clear from both teams, but it was San Antonio making the best of those moments, and it began in the first quarter.
The Spurs got out to a hot start, owning a nine-point lead after the first quarter and moving it to double digits by halftime to the home crowd’s delight. Then, in the third quarter, the Thunder were struggling to hit shots, as they started to turn the ball over, which the Spurs have capitalized on all season long.
San Antonio scored 25 of its points off the Thunder’s 20 turnovers, and they were finding success in fast-break moments, too.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle gestures against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals NBA playoffs in San Antonio on May 24, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)
At one point, the Spurs had a 25-point lead, and it’s always sweet for a team to rest its starters in the fourth quarter with a victory in hand.
Victor Wembanyama was back to his efficient ways from the floor, leading the Spurs with 33 points (11 of 22), while nailing three 3-pointers, collecting eight rebounds and dishing five assists. He also had three blocks on the other end.
But Stephon Castle (13 points, three rebounds, six assists), Devin Vassell (13 points, six rebounds, three assists) and De’Aaron Fox (12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) all contributed well in the starting five in the winning effort. The Spurs also had six bench players score, including Dylan Harper, who finished with seven points and five rebounds.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a poor shooting night, hitting just six of his 15 shots, though he made all seven of his free throws. He had four rebounds, seven assists and four turnovers for Oklahoma City.
San Antonio Spurs players Stephon Castle, Victor Wembanyama, and Devin Vassell react after a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals in San Antonio on May 24, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)
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As always, the Thunder had solid contributions from its bench, but it wasn’t to their standards. Players like Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain, pivotal pieces in Game 3’s win, shot a combined 3 of 21 from the field for eight total points.
These two top seeds in the West will battle Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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