Giants, Daniel Jones completely botch chance to change woeful reputation

You could have let the imagination run wild:

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles running back, returning this Sunday to MetLife Stadium … to cheers from Giants fans who admired his gifts and his class … to scorn from Giants fans who wrongly consider him a traitor escaping to greener financial pastures.

Waiting for Saquon Barkley would be a rising 3-3 team starting to believe with rookie phenom Malik Nabers cleared from concussion protocol, fingers crossed.

One game out of first place in the NFC East.

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

His 1-14 prime time narrative.

Which became 1-15 after Bengals 17, Giants 7 .

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

At the end, trailing 10-7 at the Bengals’ 36, Jones’ fourth-and-2 pass over the middle for Darius Slayton was broken up by D.J. Turner II. The right call with a struggling FG kicker .

Andrew Thomas getting MRI on foot after rough Giants showing

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

At the beginning, Jones found himself only 14 yards from the Giants’ first touchdown at MetLife Stadium. First down.

Jones looked for the end zone, a place he had not gotten his team this season at MetLife Stadium.

And attempted a pass he never should have attempted.

With B.J. Hill in his face, falling backwards, Jones forced what amounted to a desperate Hail Mary lollipop, a grievous error 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.

Heroes, zeros from Giants’ loss to Bengals: Joe Burrow flashed rarely-used ability

“I’m sure he’d like to have that one back,” Daboll said, “and I’d like to have certainly the play call back when you get a result like that.”

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

“Trying to get the ball out of the back of the end zone, got hit, gotta throw it earlier or get the ball down,” Jones said.

It was only his second interception since his nightmare opener against the Vikings .

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

Very honorable. For a team with no margin for error, this one 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 couldn’t stress the Bengals defense with an explosive play. “We gotta find a way to generate some of ’em,” Jones said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR STARTING LINEUP NEWSLETTER

Until the final two minutes, when Chase Brown rumbled for a clinching 30-yard TD, the Giants defense had throttled Joe Burrow, except for his stunning 47-yard TD run on third-and-18 on the opening possession, for all the good it did.

And Daboll threw the kitchen sink at Jones & Co. to help. Desperate for a spark, Daboll’s decision to go for it fourth-and-2 on the NYG 38 trailing 7-0 was mind-boggling at the start of the third quarter. And Jones had his pass over the middle broken up by Mike Hilton.

“Felt good about the stuff that we had,” Daboll said.

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

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

With help from Tracy, and a third fourth-down conversion, Jones marched the Giants into FG range but could not complete a third-and-5 pass over the middle to Wan’Dale Robinson before Greg Joseph hooked a 47-yarder wide left. Bengals 10, Giants 7.

Here is mostly how Jones & Co. played offense:

A pair of third-down throws short of the sticks … A deep shot too long for Slayton … A 56-yard YAC completion to Slayton on an RPO wiped out by ineligible man downfield against Andrew Thomas … A pair of failed deep shots for Jalin Hyatt.

“Seven points won’t get it done,” Daboll said.

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 cheers deserve better.

For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/