The New York Giants suffered their second-worst loss of the season on Sunday, losing to Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 30-7. The quarterback switch from Daniel Jones to Tommy DeVito did not work, as New York managed just 245 total yards in the blowout.
Rookie wideout Malik Nabers was the Giants’ leading receiver, catching six passes for 64 yards, but he was not happy after the game. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft called the Giants “soft as f—” and took issue with his targets, as he didn’t receive his first target until the third quarter.
“First, second quarter, I don’t get the ball,” Nabers said, via SNY. “Start getting targets at the end. I mean, can’t do nothing. Start getting the ball when it’s 30-0. What do you want me to do?
“It ain’t the quarterback,” Nabers said of the team’s overall struggles. “It was the same outcome when we had [Daniel Jones] at quarterback. Take a look. It ain’t the quarterback. … I don’t know what it is. I know I’m tired of losing.”
On Monday, head coach Brian Daboll told reporters he spoke to Nabers about his postgame comments, but that he would keep their conversation private. To a certain degree, Daboll admitted that his WR1 was right: he has to receive more looks early in the game.
“He’s a very competitive individual,” Daboll said, via NFL Media. “You want to get the ball in his hands and I’ve got to do a better job of getting the ball in his hands early.”
Nabers has caught 67 passes for 671 yards and three touchdowns this season, but hasn’t caught a touchdown since Week 3. His 671 receiving yards rank third among all rookies behind Brock Bowers and Brian Thomas Jr., and 67 receptions just second behind Bowers’ 74 catches. The 2024 season has been a disaster for the Giants, but one thing they did right was selecting Nabers with their first draft pick. Now, they just have to make it a point to use him.
The Giants will look to get the offense turned around on a short week, as they travel to Dallas to take on the rival Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
