Giants QB Daniel Jones 'likely' to clear concussion protocol and start Sunday vs. Rams

EAST RUTHERFORD - New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is on the verge of clearing concussion protocol and returning in time to start against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium.

Jones will need the green light from an independent third-party neurologist, whom he is scheduled to visit later Friday after participating in practice with the Giants. Giants coach Joe Judge said Jones will be a full participant and the team would find a way to simulate some semblance of contact to further judge his progression through the final phase of the NFL/NFLPA agreed-upon protocols.

Of course, Jones will still be wearing his red non-contact jersey reserved for quarterbacks, which means there won't be a defender from the Giants looking to deck him the way the Rams will be expected to come after him Sunday.

"It's likely Daniel will be the starter," an individual with knowledge of the situation told NorthJersey.com and USA TODAY Network. The individual was granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, and the Giants are unable to make any official declaration of his status until he receives clearance from the independent doctor. "There are still hurdles to be cleared, but that's where everyone hopes it's headed."

In a frightening scene, Jones sustained a concussion on a helmet-to-helmet hit in a collision with Cowboys linebacker Jabril Cox and was forced to leave the game in the second quarter of Sunday's 44-20 loss to the Cowboys.

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The play — on a naked bootleg from the 1-yard line — left Jones woozy, wobbly and unable to walk under his own power after being tackled near the goal line. Television replays also appeared to show Jones spitting something from his mouth.

He was ultimately taken to the locker room for further evaluation, and Jones had to go off on a cart.

Player reactions after collisions, even following concussion diagnoses, can be misleading, according to former Chargers team physician Dr. David J. Chao, who has created quite a social media profile for himself on Twitter @ProFootballDoc.

“In my anecdotal experience - and remember I’m an orthopedist - everyone is worried about [Jones] because he stumbled. But that’s a balance issue,” Chao told The Athletic in an interview earlier this week. “A balance issue doesn’t always mean that he has a severe concussion. Those symptoms don’t always correlate to severity.”

Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said before practice Thursday that he was encouraged that Jones "seems like himself." Neither Garrett nor Judge seemed to second-guess the quarterback's decision to lunge headfirst toward the pylon.

"Sliding is important for quarterbacks but when you're in a situation like that where you're right down by the goal line, you're probably not going to slide and give yourself up unless you have no chance," Garrett said. "He thought he had an opportunity to score and he's proven that he can be a tough, competitive player and make some of those plays for us."