Giants, Daniel Jones completely misses the chance to change his dismal reputation

You could have let your imagination run wild:

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley returns to MetLife Stadium this Sunday… to the cheers of Giants fans who admired his gifts and class… to the derision of Giants fans who mistake him for a traitor who is on the rise the search for better financial realms.

Waiting for Saquon Barkley would be a rising 3-3 team that is beginning to believe with rookie phenom Malik Nabers released from the concussion protocol and fingers crossed.

One game out of first place in the NFC East.

Daniel Jones had a chance to change history for himself, his team and the season on Sunday night against the Bengals.

His 1-14 prime time narrative.

After 17 from the Bengals and 7 from the Giants, the score was 1-15.

“It's very frustrating not to score more than seven points,” Jones said.

At the end, with the Bengals trailing 10-7, Jones' fourth-and-2 pass over the middle for Darius Slayton was deflected by DJ Turner II. The right call with a struggling FG kicker.

“I would do it again,” coach Brian Daboll said.

At the start, Jones was just 14 yards from the Giants' first touchdown at MetLife Stadium. Down first.

Jones was looking for the end zone, a spot his team hadn't gotten at MetLife Stadium this season.

And attempted a pass he never should have attempted.

With BJ Hill falling backwards in his face, Jones forced what amounted to a desperate Hail Mary Lollipop, a serious mistake for a rookie quarterback. It was intercepted at the 3-yard line by Germaine Pratt.

Prime time, Daniel.

“I’m just focused on winning games, playing well and winning games,” Jones said.

Red Zone Daniel.

“I'm sure he would like to have that back,” Daboll said, “and I would definitely like to have the playback back when you get a result like that.”

Yes, Daniel (22-41, 205 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 11-56 rushing) would like that back.

“I was trying to get the ball out of the back of the end zone, got hit, I have to throw it sooner or I'll get the ball down,” Jones said.

It was just his second interception since his nightmarish opening game against the Vikings.

“Not what we want to do,” Daboll said. “You can do that to me.”

Very honorable. For a team with no margin for error, this goal proved to be a killer.

“It’s hard to win a game when you score seven points,” Daboll said.

Once again, The Little Engine That Couldn't failed to put an explosive play on the Bengals' defense. “We have to find a way to generate some of those,” Jones said.

Until the final two minutes, when Chase Brown scrambled for a game-winning 30-yard touchdown, the Giants' defense had throttled Joe Burrow, except for his stunning 47-yard TD run on third-and-18 first possession, luckily it did.

And Daboll threw the kitchen sink at Jones & Co. to help. Daboll was so desperate for a spark that when he was down 7-0 at the NYG 38 early in the third quarter, he was astounding on fourth-and-2. And Jones' pass over the middle was blocked by Mike Hilton.

“We felt good about the stuff we had,” Daboll said.

Daboll got lucky when Zack Moss lost a fumble to Micah McFadden. Aware of how explosive Burrow can be, Daboll couldn't control the riverboat gambler in him. Fourth-and-2 at its 40, and this time a Jones pitch to dynamic rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. provided the first down.

And this time, after an 18-yard PI penalty on Turner II on Slayton in the end zone, Tracy's 1-yard TD run tied the score at 7-7 for the Giants' first MetLife Stadium TD of the season.

With help from Tracy and a third-down fourth-down conversion, Jones got the Giants into FG range, but was unable to complete a third-and-5 pass over the middle to Wan'Dale Robinson before a 47-yarder from Greg Joseph long left pass. Bengals 10, Giants 7.

Here's the basics of how Jones & Co. operated on offense:

Two third-line throws in front of the uprights… A deep shot wide for Slayton… A 56-yard YAC completion to Slayton on an RPO that was negated by an ineligible man downfield against Andrew Thomas… Two missed deeps Throws for Jalin Hyatt.

“Seven points are not enough,” said Daboll.

The 2-4 Giants can't win at home (0-3). The quarterback can't win in prime time. Giants fans who yearn for a team worthy of their acclaim deserve better.