EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It was déjà vu all over again in the Giants locker room on Wednesday.
For the third consecutive Wednesday, reporters covering the team crowded around Daniel Jones' locker and were told he has not yet been cleared for contact by the team's medical staff. Soon after Jones finished his regular mid-week news conference, the media was camped six lockers away, engaging in a Q&A with Tyrod Taylor, who will start his third consecutive game Sunday against the Jets if Jones can't play.
Officially, Jones was limited in practice. He threw, but did not participate in team drills, the same routine he followed last week. Taylor again took all the first offense team reps.
Jones was injured when he was sacked by Andy Van Ginkel in the fourth quarter of the Giants loss in Miami on Oct. 8.
"I'm certainly trying as hard as I can to get back," Jones said. "But from the doctor's standpoint, it's not something that he can clear me to do at this point. So, trying to do everything I can to get back."
Jones was asked if he must tell the doctors he's symptom-free before he can return to the field.
"I think there are certain symptoms that they're looking for and testing for, from a pain level and based on how I feel," Jones said. "I feel good and that's been the communication from that symptom standpoint. … There are certain things that I haven't done yet."
Coach Brian Daboll, asked what the process is for Jones getting the okay to return to the field, said, "See the doctors and then the doctors clear him. … He sees our trainers and we have a doctor in. Last week it was at the end of the week. But he's in constant communication with those guys."
Taylor has started the last two games, including a 14-7 victory against Washington that broke a four-game losing streak. He threw two touchdown passes against the Commanders and has not thrown an interception in 80 attempts this season. Taylor has completed six passes for more than 20 yards after the Giants hit just 11 such throws in the first six games.
"I feel comfortable in our offense," Taylor said. "I feel comfortable with the playmakers that we have outside. It's up to me, obviously, to get the ball to those guys, so just trying to spread it around as much as possible, and a lot of those guys create plays."
Taylor has made three consecutive starts in a season three times in his 13-year career, most recently two years ago with Houston. He was asked if regular playing time helps him get into a rhythm.
"Obviously, the best experience, I say, is playing," Taylor said. "If the opportunity presents itself this week, as far as the rhythm, I mean, yes, I would love to go out there and do something. But if not, then it's not what the plan is, and I'll move forward as so. I'm always going to be the same person day in and day out from a preparation standpoint, and as a leader, and just sharing what I can with the team, whether it's me actually out there contributing, or me doing stuff from a leadership role."
If Taylor does take the first snap Sunday, it will be his second start of the year against the Jets. He played the first two series of the preseason finale on Aug. 26, completing two of four passes. Taylor did face the Jets' first-team defense in that brief appearance.
"You go back, and you watch preseason games, and you try to get a feel for a team," Taylor said. "But they've also played a number of games throughout the year now that you can get a sense of how they flow as a team. Preseason, some teams reserve guys, and don't show as much. Obviously, those were their starters that we played against. Sometimes the calls aren't the same. They've played enough in the regular season now that we can get a good sense of them and see kind of what to expect. But ultimately, week in and week out, it's about us executing our offense."
While Taylor tries to do that every day in practice and perhaps in the game Sunday, Jones is doing everything he can to return to the field and reclaim his job.
"I feel a lot better than I did after the injury," Jones said. "Continue to improve week-by-week and day-by-day even. I'm feeling better and focused on continuing to do that.
"I think it's just passing the tests and showing that I've improved to the point to where they feel comfortable putting me out there."
*In other injury news, left tackle Andrew Thomas returned to the practice field on a limited basis. Thomas has missed six consecutive games since suffering a hamstring injury on Sept. 10 against Dallas.
"Not too bad today," Thomas said. "First time I've put on a helmet in a while, so that was a good feeling being out there with my teammates again. More than I've been doing by myself with the (athletic) trainers and stuff like that. Just continue to stress it and see how it responds.
"I'm just following the plans of the trainers like I think they just want me to kind of mimic what I would do if I was at practice. But they also want to limit and not just cut me loose because there is a chance you can make it worse with soft tissue. So, that's the plan I'm trying to follow.
Is he confident of playing Sunday?
"Won't make any projections," Thomas said. "As I said, today is my first day being at practice, so just try to build on that. … We will see how it responds tomorrow and the day after and go from there."
"It would be great (to get him back)," Daboll said. "He's a really good left tackle."
Thomas missed just three games due to injury in his first three seasons.
"I want to be on the field," Thomas said. "We only have a few opportunities that are guaranteed each season and I've missed quite a few of them, so it doesn't feel good. But I can't change that. All I can do is just continue to get better."
*Rookie center John Michael Schmitz also returned to practice. He missed the last three games with a shoulder injury.
"I think (we'll) let him practice and we'll see how it goes by the end of the week," Daboll said. "But I'd say all those guys that have been out for a while are getting better. So, this is kind of their next step here, see how they do at practice."
*Defensive lineman Leonard Williams (veteran rest day) and running back Gary Brightwell (hamstring) were the only two Giants players who did not practice.
Nine players were limited: Jones (neck), running back Saquon Barkley (elbow), tight end Darren Waller (hamstring), tackles Thomas (hamstring) and Evan Neal (ankle), Schmitz (shoulder), linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee), cornerback Adoree' Jackson, and kicker Graham Gano (left knee).
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