Before Daniel Jones takes a snap from center, before he throws a pass or hands off to one of his running backs, the rookie quarterback must make pre-snap reads that normally determine the success or failure of a play.

It can be a complicated endeavor necessary to instantly adjust to defensive alignments, coverages and pass-rush threats. And it might be the hardest part of the job for a rookie quarterback to learn. It helps to have Eli Manning as a tutor.

“Eli is one of the best I’ve been around at noticing where a guy is aligned, maybe just two yards differently, and recognizing what that means to their defense,” said Alex Tanney, the Giants’ third-string quarterback and a four-year veteran. “I’ve learned a lot from him, and Eli’s been great at transferring that information to Dan as well.”

Jones has passed his first two tests, rallying the Giants to a 32-31 victory at Tampa Bay before handling Washington 24-3 in his home debut Sunday. This week, he faces a Vikings defense ranked 12th in the NFL and will use multiple fronts and coverages in an attempt to lure Jones into making mistakes.

Sacks and stuffed runs aren’t always caused by offensive linemen being beaten at the line of scrimmage. It’s the quarterback’s job to identify the defense and help the center call out the proper protection.

“That pretty much sets up the entire play,” center Jon Halapio said. “We have a starting point, and if it’s a running play, everybody’s block goes off that initial point. If DJ sees a rotation in the coverage or a different alignment or split, he can direct me to a different point. That’s why communication between DJ and I is really important. It’s his job to see what I can’t see.”

Give Manning some credit.

“He’s always around DJ during practice, making sure everything is going good with clear communication and making sure DJ sees the same things Eli sees,” Halapio said. “It’s good to see him helping DJ prep for the week.”

Jones has been a quick study, using his Duke education to recognize what defenses are doing and relay the information to his linemen. A mistake usually leads to an unblocked pass rusher or a running back stopped behind the line of scrimmage. The Giants have been avoiding those kinds of negative plays in recent games.

Offensive line coach Hal Hunter said it’s getting to the point at which his linemen can anticipate what Jones is going to call before he calls it. That synergy grows from the quarterbacks and offensive linemen meeting together to discuss blitz protection.

“In this day and age you’re always looking to try to get in the right run, the right protection and the right things,” Hunter said. “Knowing what the quarterback is going to communicate before he communicates it is fundamental.”

Few are better at it than Manning, the 16-year veteran and two-time Super Bowl MVP who was benched after two games this year for Jones, the sixth overall pick in the draft.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever been around a better communicator than Eli,” said Hunter, whose NFL coaching career began in 2006. “With all of the years, he just really understands the game. I think Daniel is trying to follow in his footsteps.”

The Vikings’ pass defense is ranked ninth in the league, allowing 218 yards per game, while Jones has averaged 280.5 yards passing in his two starts. Along with identifying Minnesota’s various defensive fronts, Jones must keep an eye on safety Harrison Smith. In his eighth season out of Notre Dame, Smith has 21 career interceptions and also has 12 sacks since 2012, the most by any defensive back during that span.

“They’re a veteran group and do a great job on the back end of their pre-snap disguises,” Tanney said. “Smith is good at disguising the same coverages different ways. But Daniel’s picked it up pretty quick. That’s a credit to how smart he is and his preparation.”

Give some credit to Eli Manning, too.