While the Giants didn’t show much fire on the field during Sunday’s 30-7 loss to the Buccaneers, there was plenty of it during their postgame media availability, especially when it came to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and rookie wideout Malik Nabers.
Neither player held back after Big Blue’s latest loss, with both using the word “soft” to describe the current state of the team. Lawrence, speaking to the media Tuesday, said that his comments were taken out of context.
“I didn’t say we are soft as a team,” said Lawrence, a two-time Pro Bowler who has already recorded a career-high nine sacks this season. “I said we played that way. We lost 30-7. That’s not OK. We’re in the NFL.”
Nabers also clarified his comments from Sunday, when he was extremely critical of both the Giants’ play as well as the team’s play-calling that he said prevented him from making an impact when the game was still in the balance.
“If I had an opportunity to go back and change the words that I said, I would,” said Nabers, who leads the Giants in every major statistical receiving category. “I still stand on what I said. I said it. I don’t have no regrets with what I said.”
The Giants are trying to rally together amid what has been a trying time for the organization. New York is 2-9 entering Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys, who like the Giants are also mired in a disappointing season. The Giants’ tumultuous season has included the release of quarterback Daniel Jones and the sight of former fan favorite Saquon Barkley enjoying his best season to date with the rival Eagles after the Giants allowed him to test the market this past offseason.
While this season has been a downer, Lawrence did provide a positive update regarding the current state of the team heading into Thursday’s game.
“We came out today with good energy,” he said. “We came today embracing this moment that we have. We get to play on Thanksgiving. We’re excited about that.”