The New York Giants are hoping to get to the .500 mark against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night. The two long-time rivals are meeting in the Week 4 game at MetLife Stadium, and Giants rookie Malik Nabers continued his early-season surge when he caught a 39-yard pass from quarterback Daniel Jones on New York’s first drive of the game.
Malik Nabers’ shirt is tough
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@NFL) pic.twitter.com/1eh8zD7zQ4
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Nabers warmed up on the field wearing a black t-shirt that had the letters “D.A.W.G.” on the front. The explanation behind those letters was on the back of the shirt. The letters stood for Discipline, Attitude, Will, Grit.
There is little doubt that Nabers has given the Giants a significant receiving threat in his first three games.
Nabers was the team’s first-round selection from LSU last spring and the No. 6 overall pick in the draft.
Many rookie receivers need some time to get acclimated, but Nabers has been the Giants’ best receiver.
He has already been targeted 37 times in the first three games, and he has 23 receptions for 271 yards. He has gotten into the end zone 3 times, and he has shown the ability to make the contested catch and get open as a result of his speed.
Nabers is the first rookie in NFL history to have 20 or more receptions with 3 TD catches in his first three games, per NFL Research.
One of the primary beneficiaries of Nabers’ growth in the New York offense has been Jones.
The beleaguered quarterback came into the Week 4 games against the Cowboys with 62 completions in 104 attempts for 600 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
Nabers can do more than catch
The rookie receiver is clearly becoming a central performer in the Giants offense. At 6-0 and 200 pounds, Nabers has good but not great size, yet he excels when he has to take on a tackler after making the catch.
Nabers has skills outside his ability to catch the ball and run with it after making the reception. He has already carried the ball twice for the Giants, and he took a direct snap in the 21-15 Week 3 upset victory over the Browns and was looking to complete a pass. None of the receivers were open, so Nabers threw the ball away.
The rookie believes he is more than capable of making big plays whether is catching passes, running from the backfield or throwing the football.
He made a sensational contribution against the Browns, catching 8 passes for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns. The second TD catch was a remarkable reception as he contorted his body so he could get both feet in bounds.
Nabers may have been the only one who was not overly impressed. “They were good catches, but I’ve made some way better catches than that,” Nabers said, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “I’m not surprised by it, it’s just how I play, it’s how I am.”
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