Remember that jaw-dropping 46-yard bomb Daniel Jones threw to Darius Slayton in his 2019 rookie debut? The one that had Giants fans convinced they’d found their next Eli Manning? Well, Cowboys safety Malik Hooker sure doesn’t seem impressed.

Hooker set Instagram ablaze with a not-so-subtle dig at the struggling Giants quarterback. Posting a series of Cowboys team photos, Hooker captioned it: “Whole Lotta Dawgs We Done Started A Kennel💯🤞🏾🧎🏾✨”. But the real zinger came when he reshared in his stories a fan’s comment which read: “Danial Jones love throwing ur way let’s go Brodie”. Ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark.

This social media jab isn’t just locker-room banter. It’s a stark reminder of Jones’ prime-time woes, particularly against the Cowboys. Remember that 40-0 drubbing Dallas-handed New York to open the 2023 season? Jones probably wishes he could forget. His prime-time stats tell a grim tale: 12 touchdowns to 18 interceptions when the lights shine brightest, compared to a much more respectable 50-22 ratio in other games.

But Hooker’s taunt digs deeper than just recent history. It calls into question the very essence of what made Jones a top draft pick. That rookie gunslinger who averaged 7.8 air yards per attempt? He’s been replaced by a far more conservative passer, averaging just 6.2 air yards this season – ranking him dead last among starting quarterbacks.

Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton offers a telling insight into Jones’ transformation. “We spent two years of [Giants coaches] trying just to play defense and [the offense] not make mistakes,” Slayton revealed to ESPN. It’s a damning indictment of a coaching staff that may have squeezed the life out of their young quarterback’s potential.

Daniel Jones’ 54-year-old NFL curse

While Hooker’s having a field day online, Daniel Jones is staring down the barrel of an unwanted NFL record that’s older than the Super Bowl trophy itself.

CBS Sports dropped a statistical bombshell that has Giants fans reaching for the antacids. Jones’ prime-time record sits at a dismal 1-12, giving him the worst win percentage (.077) in nationally televised games since 1970. To put that in perspective, even Andy Dalton – not exactly known for clutch performances – boasts a .222 win percentage under the lights.

Jones’ lone prime-time victory came against the Washington Commanders last December, a 20-12 squeaker that ended on a controversial non-call. But that win feels like ancient history after the Giants’ recent prime-time stumbles, including an embarrassing 18-point loss to the 49ers and a 21-point drubbing by the Seahawks.

The pressure on Jones is reaching a boiling point. Giants GM Joe Schoen laid it out bluntly on HBO’s “Hard Knocks”: “This is the year for Daniel. Plan all along was [to] give him a couple years. Is he our guy for the next 10 years? Or do we need to pivot and find somebody else?”

With a $30 million payday looming next year, Jones needs to shake this prime-time curse quickly. One NFL executive, speaking anonymously to ESPN, suggested Jones might be looking at a “bridge starter” role if things don’t improve. “They weren’t shy about drafting [a quarterback to compete with Jones] this year,” the exec noted. “So why would that change?”

As Thursday night’s showdown with Dallas looms, all eyes will be on AT&T Stadium. Can Daniel Jones silence the doubters and rewrite his prime-time narrative? Or will Malik Hooker’s Instagram taunt prove prophetic? Giants fans are holding their breath, hoping their quarterback can finally shine when the lights are brightest.